It's kind of depressing that Labor Day is this weekend. That means summer is gone! It seems like only yesterday I was unpacking my swim wear and shorts. Now, it's already starting to get dark when I leave for work. Summer is much too short (especially true for school aged kids).

Since next Monday is known as the end of the summer season, what are you going to celebrate? I have some ideas. I'll probably go see the Travelers Saturday, since their season is coming to an end too. That is also depressing, but Razorback Football is about to start back up. I'm definitely going to be making one last trip to Wild River Country. However, on the actual Monday of Labor Day, I'll probably chill by the grill and watch the hummingbirds.

How does your family celebrate Labor Day?

I had a list of things to do this weekend, but due to Sarah's question, I didn't get much done. That's because in the middle of the hunt for a great photography book, I found "Capture Arkansas."

This photography book, sponsored by the Dem-Gaz, will have photographs by Arkansans and ranked by Arkansans. The cost will be about $30. There will be 128 pages in the book, but a DVD will also be included with most of the photographs on the site.

I normally don't blog about something twice (especially in a row), but apparently the pictures have been in the submission stages for a few months now, but today starts the official "voting week." If you vote for at least 150 photos this week, you get a discount code for the book.

That's what I spent this weekend doing: voting on endless photographs. Beautiful photographs that wll make you want to travel to hidden places in Arkansas.

By my estimates, the website has about 33,000 photographs of Arkansas, and most of are great photographs. I see a lot of names I recognize in the submitter category. Apparently everyone from professional photographers, reporters and even a zoo keeper or two have been busy building the book. The cool thing is, some of the amateur photographs are more stunning than the professionals!

Check out the site, place some votes and pimp your favorites here, in the comment section. So far my favorite photograph of all on the site is Kirk Jordan. I'd never heard of him before, but he's my new photo idol!

Sarah asks:

"I will be going on a foreign exchange program soon and my adviser says I should bring a gift to my family. What can I give them that says 'Arkansas?' I was thinking of a book, but I don't know which one."

I think a photography book is an excellent idea for a host family gift. Arkansas does have a lot of great sights, and a photography book crosses the potential language barrier.

My personal favorite photography book is a book by Tim Ernst called "Arkansas Portfolio II." I've never seen the first in this series, but you can get a good look at the photos in the book on his website. I've seen this book in a few state park gift shops and local bookstores. It's a beautiful book.

Browsing his site, it looks like he has a lot of other photography books and some guidebooks. I might buy a few of the guidebooks myself!

Probably too late for your host family, but the Arkansas Democrat Gazette is publishing a book filled with Arkansas photos from users all over the state called "Capture Arkansas." You can still submit photographs for 2 more days, but the book won't be available until October. When published, it's supposed to be a 128 pages of Arkansas goodness.

Good luck with your studies.

We've finally ranked in the top of one of these studies . . . but not for a good reason. Arkansas ranked number 8 in adult obesity rates according to a study released Tuesday.

Mississippi was the heaviest state. Almost thirty two percent of its adult population is obese. Colorado is the leanest state with only 18.4 percent of it's population obese. Arkansas has a an obesity rate of 28.1 percent. That means about 3 out of every ten people in the state are obese.

Why is this? The study says it's because of gradual lifestyle changes. We're eating differently, becoming less active.

My observation is that the five fattest states are mostly southern states: Mississippi (31.7 percent), West Virginia (30.6 percent), Alabama (30.1 percent), Louisiana (29.5 percent) and South Carolina (29.2 percent). The five leanest states are mostly northern states: Colorado (18.4 percent), Hawaii (20.7 percent), Connecticut (20.8 percent), Massachusetts (20.9 percent) and Vermont (21.1 percent).

Could it be because of our eating habits? I guess the old stereotypes of fried chicken and mashed potatoes is partially true here in Arkansas. Also, we, like most states, have a sedentary lifestyle. I notice that Colorado attracts outdoorsy types, but Arkansas does too. Any ideas?