Buttons, our mascot, is shown before boarding the Washington Island Ferry, at the tip of Door County, Wisconsin.

Buttons sees Mount Hood, one day after a 16-inch snowfall in early October. See www.mthood.info.

Buttons spent a night at Timberline Lodge, a sturdy National Historic Landmark that was built by Works Progress Administration workers after the Depression. See www.timberlinelodge.com.

Buttons was along for a ride along the Pacific Coast, in western Oregon. See www.visittheoregoncoast.com.

Buttons visits State College, Pennsylvania, home of the Nittany Lions and Penn State University. See www.psu.edu.

At left: Buttons orders mint chocolate chip ice cream at the Berkey Creamery, which is the largest university creamery in the United States. See www.creamery.psu.edu.

At right: Buttons meets Janet Robinson, owner of The Piper's Peck, whose products are sold at the farmers' market in downtown State College. Some of Janet's products contain hot peppers and fruit. See www.piperspeck.com.

Buttons visited the BMW Welt, the car manufacturer's new tourist attraction, in Munich, Germany.

Buttons checks out the breakfast buffet table at the Hotel Advokat, in downtown Munich.

Munich Airport International has an ice skating rink right outside of it, so Buttons watched the skaters.

Buttons sees orange groves in Central Florida, at Bok Sanctuary near Lake Wales.

Buttons makes friends with a sled dog at Treehaven Field Station, near Tomahawk.

First lady Jessica Doyle meets Buttons during a project about small towns in Wisconsin.

Even though it’s winter at Jasper National Park in Canada, Buttons thinks about going for a swim in the heated lodge pool.

Buttons has other stuffed animals for company in Mary’s messy office.