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Hawaii's Living Volcanoes--Exploring Life in the Caldera of Fire

Hawaii volcanoes are known as "shield" volcanoes, gently sloping mountains produced from a lot of very wet, fast-moving lava flows. Each Hawaiian island is made up of at least one primary volcano.

Ely, Minnesota: Wolves and Bears and Root Beer and Neutrinos; Oh My!

Ely, Minnesota acts as the doorway into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, which extends over the Canada-USA borders. A museum in Ely celebrates the life of one remarkable woman, Dorothy Molter, a.k.a. The Root Beer Lady. For over fifty years she lived on the Isle of Pines Resort on Knife Lake. A registered Nurse she tended to the physical and mental needs of the canoeists who visited her. She provided food, lodging, and her famous root beer, bottling over 11,000 bottles per year. For many years canoeists would come to see her while they paddled the lakes of Northern Minnesota. In 1964 the Wilderness Act condemned and purchased her property by the United States Forest Service. A cry of protest arose among the thousands of her friends whom she had befriended. The US government allowed her tenancy for her lifetime. But she could no longer run her business as a resort. She continued to make her root beer and gave it to the thirsty: a two-bottle limit. She also provided shelter for those who wanted it. Of course there was no charge. But in return for her kindness, everyone left a monetary donation. This allowed here to live the life she was accustomed to live. She had no electricity. She lived thirty miles from the nearest road. She traveled to Ely for supplies by canoe in the summer over four portages. During the winter, she could use a snowmobile. Snowmobile usage stopped when The Forest Service banned motors in the Boundary Waters. She cooked with wood and occasionally propane, when she was supplied. She made thousands of Christmas Tree Ornaments, which she gave out as presents. In return her friends painted paddles for her which she used as a fence. She hauled in topsoil so she could plant flowers, an unusual sight upon the island. She continued to bottle her Root Beer. One great story about The Root Beer lady is that she had a dog who loved to chase sea planes. One day it got too close to one of the propellers. Both the prop and the dogтЂ™s jaw were broken. The pilot was going to destroy her dog, but Dorothy Molter said, тЂњNo!. I am a nurse and I will take care of him.тЂќ She made a splint out of birch bark and attached it to the dogтЂ™s jaw. After a few weeks, the dogтЂ™s jaw was healed. From that time onward, it had a slightly crooked jaw and never chased planes again. The propeller is on display at the museum. Upon her death in 1986 at the age of 79, her many friends from Ely took her cabins and all of her possessions and created the Dorothy Molter Museum in Ely. They continue to produce her root beer, the profits going to the upkeep of the museum. A trip to Ely demands a visit to Dorothy Molter Museum. Expect to spend two hours there, being awed by this fascinating woman. While there buy a six-pack of her root beer. A couple of blocks away are the International Wolf Center. Learn about the importance of wolves and their interaction with humanity. A major exhibit, Wolves and Humans, is undergoing reconstruction. Enclosed on a two-acre site, six wolves live and interact with each other and with humans. Presently there are two adult Arctic wolves and four younger timber wolves. All have been raised in captivity and have been socialized with humans since puppyhood before being introduced to the pack. A viewing window allows the visitors and wolves to interact with each other. Many programs are available for the public. Movies are shown hourly in the theater. Talks by docents are given before the viewing area. The staff tries hard to combat the many prejudices we have about wolves and their behavior. Feeding is done on Saturday evenings. An additional charge is made to attend these feedings. Workshops, behind the scenes tours, and summer day camps are also available. On the opposite side of town is the North American Bear Center. Their population consists of two male and one female black bears. Ted, who is a bit overweight, loves to lounge in front of the viewing window and pose for pictures. The other two are more reclusive. The center goes out of its way to overcome the prejudices man has about the bear. Forty-three vid