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(NAPSA)—Granola recipesabound, from the gourmet versionsfound on culinary Web sites to theho-hum varieties found in grocerystores, but few compare to Bunch ofCrunch Honey Fig Granola. Pop-corn joins forces with oats, nutsand sweet California Dried Figs todeliver a fun food that’s full of fla-vor, fiber and whole grain goodness. Granola is traditionally made

from rolled oats and an assortmentof ingredients added for texture,taste and nutrition. Chunks of darkpurple Mission and golden Cal-imyrna Figs add natural sweet-ness, a light, chewy texture, andlots of fiber, essential nutrients andhealth-promoting antioxidants. Thepopcorn, which is a whole grain,adds a delightful texture, as well asan array of nutrients and fiber.Nutrition experts recommendabout 25 to 30 grams of fiber dailyand 3 ounces of whole grains. Many people enjoy granola as a

breakfast food, either plain orwith milk. Others, including hik-ers, campers, moms and kids onthe go, often eat granola as aportable, energy-rich snack food. For more great recipes and fun

facts about figs, go towww.valleyfig.com. Like granolabut looking for a more traditionalrecipe? Visit Valley Fig Growers’Web site for Nutty Honey Fig Gra-

nola, which offers great taste andnutrition but without the popcorn.

Bunch Of CrunchHoney Fig Granola

1 package (about 7 oz.) BlueRibbon Orchard Choice orSun-Maid Figs

3⁄4 cup water2 tablespoons honey3 cups popped corn (low-sodium, low-fat microwavepopcorn)

2 cups old-fashioned rolledoats

1⁄2 cup coarsely choppedpecans or almonds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds1 teaspoon groundcinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 cup canola oil1⁄4 cup honey2 teaspoons orange zest(optional)

11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Adjust rack to middle ofoven and heat to 300˚. Removefig stems and cut each fig intofour pieces. In small saucepan,combine figs, water and 2 table-spoons honey. Cover and bringto a boil over high heat.Remove from heat and setaside for 5 minutes. Drain well.In large bowl, stir togetherpopped corn, oats, nuts, sesameseeds, cinnamon and salt. Insmall saucepan, stir oil and 1⁄4cup honey over low heat for afew seconds, till blended.Remove from heat and stir inorange zest and vanilla. Pourover oat mixture, add figs andtoss well. Spread on oiled 15-x-10-inch rimmed baking sheet or9-x-13-inch baking pan. Bake 25to 30 minutes, stirring every 10minutes, until light goldenbrown. Place pan on rack tocool. Store in airtight containerat room temperature for up to 5days. Makes about 51⁄2 cups.

Popcorn Pops Up The Fun Of Honey Fig Granola

Sweet, chewy, nutrient-rich Cali-fornia dried figs and crunchypopcorn liven up homemade granola.

(NAPSA)—Just about every-body loves birthdays and anniver-saries, and one of America’s trea-sures marks a big one throughout2009. It’s the 75th anniversary ofGreat Smoky Mountains NationalPark, America’s most visitednational park.Many people assume that one

of the legendary national parksout West gets the highest visita-tion, but the annual 9 million vis-its to the Smokies far outpace the4.4 million of second-place GrandCanyon National Park.The park’s next-door neighbor,

Pigeon Forge, Tenn., is a greathome base for a national parkvacation because it combines thejoys of nature with the delights ofa family vacation destination.It was in 1934 when a big piece

of Appalachian backcountry—even-tually 800 square miles—becamethe national park. Today, it’s thebiggest piece of wilderness in theEastern U.S. and a magnet forhikes, wildflower treks, photogra-phy expeditions and driving tours.Indeed, it was the desire for a

scenic location for driving toursthat helped establish the nationalpark. The movement began in the1890s, but it was motorists’clubs—early branches of the AAAin the mid-1920s—that pushedthe effort into high gear.Unlike in the West, where the

federal government could carveout national parks from land italready controlled, land for GreatSmoky Mountains National Parkhad to be acquired privately andthen donated to the U.S. That alsomeant that about 1,200 peoplemoved away when the park’sboundaries were set.

What was acquired was not nec-essarily prime land. Most of whatwe see today as forested wildernesswas logged over by timber compa-nies and was in terrible shape.Mother Nature has healed a lot ofwounds in the last 75 years.The park’s Mt. LeConte rises to

the sky south of Pigeon Forge andprovides a breathtaking backdropfor the tourist community thatclaims Dollywood, 13 theaters,WonderWorks, scores of restau-rants and dozens of family attrac-tions among its attributes.Six Pigeon Forge festivals scat-

tered throughout the year are onthe national park’s official 75thanniversary calendar, and there’sa special show at Dollywood that’shelping to celebrate the occasion.That show is “Sha-Kon-O-Hey!

Land of Blue Smoke,” which paystribute to the music, heritage andtraditions of the mountains. “Sha-Kon-O-Hey” is the phoneticspelling of the Cherokee word forthis lovely mountain region.To plan a Pigeon Forge/Great

Smoky Mountains visit, go toMyPigeonForge.com or call toll-free (800) 251-9100.

75 Years Of Smoky Mountains Beauty

(NAPSA)—When shopping fora new car, buyers often take avehicle out for a spin. Now, some potential homebuy-

ers are test-driving active adultcommunities nationwide beforemaking a move.There are more than 78 million

baby boomers in America, accord-ing to the U.S. Census Bureau,with nearly 8,000 people turning60 each day. About half of the over-age-55 crowd plans to move afterretirement. Many of those boomersplan to move out of state, repre-senting more than 5 million peoplepotentially looking for a newhome, according to Del Webb, theactive adult homebuilder offeringthe community test-drives.Del Webb’s vacation getaway

program lets those over 55 whoare considering an active adultcommunity try out its amenities,social life and home designs infully furnished villas or throughpartnerships with nearby hotels.The communities are in populardestinations for retirees and theaccommodations are available foras little as $59 a night.Kelly and Shari Jones decided

to stay in a vacation villa at SunCity Anthem at Merrill Ranch byDel Webb in Arizona while visit-ing from Washington. “We reallydidn’t know what to expect, butliving in the villa made a big ‘wow’impression on us,” Shari Jonessaid. “We ended up buying quickerthan we expected because wereally liked the whole experienceand the beautiful amenities.”Among the program’s popular

spots are Sun City CarolinaLakes, outside Charlotte, N.C.;

Sun City Peachtree, near Atlanta;and Sun City Mesquite in Nevada.Even buyers who plan to “retire inplace” near family and friends cantry out the lifestyle at their localactive adult community, likeBridgewater by Del Webb in sub-urban Detroit, Mich. The getaway packages are

available at nearly 20 Del Webbcommunities across the countryand offer guests the freedom toenjoy all of the community’samenities. Many offer complimen-tary golf, use of recreation and fit-ness facilities and social eventswith community residents. Thereare also resident-guided tours ofthe community, which give would-be homebuyers the chance to talkto people who aren’t there to sell,but to share experiences.For those communities offering

an on-site villa for rental, visitorscan expect a fully furnished home,with linens, dishes and appli-ances. A variety of floor plansallows visitors to get the feel of ahome and envision their art andfurnishings in place.For more information, visit

www.delwebb.com/VG or call (866)239-1744.

Test-Driving Your New Home

Some active adult communitieslet people “test-drive” a potentiallocation before they buy.

(NAPSA)—For many people,listening to music is an importantpart of household chores. Not onlydo favorite tunes help lift the spir-its and lighten the load, but mov-ing and grooving while you dust,mop and organize can help burn afew extra calories.Start with what you normally

listen to, though up-tempo num-bers generally work better. And ifyou’re in need of some creativestorage solutions, ClosetMaid®offers a variety of DIY productsthat can help make it easier to getorganized and stay that way.Still not sure what to put on the

stereo or MP3 player? Here are afew choice tracks to help rock thehouse while you tidy up:•Psych yourself up for the task

with Sheryl Crow’s “A ChangeWould Do You Good” and theBlack Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get ItStarted.” After all, if you look athome organization as somethingpositive you’re doing for your-self—rather than just a chore thatneeds doing—you’re that muchcloser to accomplishing your goal.•The aptly titled “Come

Together” by The Beatles can bean excellent motivator for gettingsome of your trouble spots—bed-room closet, garage, junkdrawer—in order.•To help keep you in that

groove, the melodic “Give a LittleBit” by the Goo Goo Dolls, coupledwith “Throw It All Away” fromBrandi Carlile, are top-notchreminders that we all have to letstuff go. If you haven’t worn it fora year (with the possible exceptionof those high-end “collector”

items), get rid of it. And if youhave to ask yourself why you weresaving something in the firstplace, it should no longer be tak-ing up space in your house.•John Mayer’s “Clarity” is rec-

ommended as you near the end ofyour task, and can tick off the fewspecific tasks you have left. Withthe finish line in sight, those lastfew items to assemble, organize orput away seem less like drudgeryand more like milestones.•When you have a place for

everything and everything’s inits place, it’s time to kick it with“Feel Good Inc.” by Gorillaz. Orperhaps you want to “ExpressYourself” (Madonna) with some“New Shoes” (Paolo Nutini) .After all, you’ve got space forthem now, courtesy of shel forganizers perhaps?To access the online Visual

Storage Planner, visit www.closetmaid.com. For additional informa-tion, call (800) 874-0008.

Music To Get Organized By

Getting your house in order canseem less like a chore and moreof a high-energy workout whenyou crank the tunes.

(NAPSA)—Family practicephysician Dr. Charles Barker says“Living a healthy and fertilelifestyle in combination with theuse of a simple at-home conceptionkit can help you get pregnant.” Forhelp, see www.conceptionkit.com.

** ** **To help you keep loved ones

healthy, Dr. Schachter, one of theleading authorities on respira-tory disease, has authored “TheGood Doctor’s Guide to Colds &Flu.” For a copy or to ask Dr.Schachter a question, visitwww.thegooddoctor1.com.

** ** **National Stroke Association

and Boehringer Ingelheim Phar-maceuticals, Inc. have created anew Web site, www.TalkAbout TIA.com, where you can findinformation on a serious strokewarning sign—transient ischemicattack (TIA).