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Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol"

The only manuscript known to exist from Charles Dicken's 1843 tale A Christmas Carol has been digitized. The original is housed in the Morgan Library and Museum in Manhattan. Readers unable to attend the showing of the original manuscript (through January 10) are able to flip from the handwritten version to the typed via a high resolution scan made possible by the New York Times . Read more

Adirondack Tri-Lakes Holiday Activities

Looking for events between Christmas and New Year's? Here are some ideas: The Lake Placid Center for the Arts will host the Pendragon Theatre holiday production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!" on Dec. 26, 27, 28 and 29. All shows begin at 7:00 p.m. The Wild Center will be open for special holiday hours from Dec. 26 to Dec. 31, and on Jan. 2 and 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. See a movie at the Lake Placid Palace Theatre (518.523.9271) or Tupper Lake State Theatre (518-359-3593) Go to the Paul Smiths VIC to see a nature film, ski the trails or play with the touch table. Hours are from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday, closed Christmas. The trail are open from dawn to dusk, every day of the year Join a pick-up game of hockey at many outdoor free skating rinks. Wear a helmet! Check out the Olympic venues Ski at Whiteface , Gore , Titus , Mt Pisgah or Big Tupper . Participate in First Night® Saranac Lake with activities, events, music, fireworks and food

Champlain Bridge demolition rescheduled for Monday December 28

Both Vermont and New York transportation officials said the demolition had to be rescheduled for December 28 at 10:00 a.m. due to ice forming on Lake Champlain and severely cold temperatures, which have delayed work preparing the bridge for demolition. In New York, two viewing areas will be available along the shore in Port Henry, about two miles west of the 80-year-old bridge. The main public viewing area is going to be the boat launch in Port Henry, N.Y., and an alternative area is the Bulwagga Bay Park in Moriah, N.Y. Read more

Wilmington's Santa's Workshop open

Santa's Workshop at the North Pole in Wilmington will be open to the public tonight (December 21) and tomorrow (December 22) from 4:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m. for anyone wishing to see the "merry ol' elf before he hits the sky way. Rides and shows are limited. The price is $9.95/person for ages two- ninety-nine. Call 518-946-2211 for more information. The whole village is decorated for Christmas. The Nativity Pageant will be playing while Santa and the reindeer ready his sleigh. Carolers will perform and all the holiday shops will be open. Please keep in mind that snacks will be available but no restaurant. The carousel will be running for anyone wishing to take a ride on their very own a reindeer. Happy Holidays!

Live Theatre can improve Children's Literacy and Social Skills

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A 2006 South Australian study into arts education indicates that going to the theatre can improve children’s literacy and social skills. The Children's Voices study documented the impact of live theatre on 140 State Government primary school students over three years. It was conducted and jointly funded by the Department of Education and Children’s Services, The University of South Australia and Windmill Performing Arts. Windmill Performing Arts project manager Julie Orchard, who is a Department of Education and Children’s Services teacher, said children’s oral and written language improved significantly during the project. In a prepared statement, author of the report and director of the study, Professor Wendy Schiller, Director of UniSA’s de Lissa Institute of Early Childhood and Family Studies Research Group, said the children’s response to live arts performance directly affected their learning and their lives. “The most noticeable impact was the children’s marked gain in lit

Lake Placid Holiday Stroll

As my children grow older I understand that every child feels their parents grew up in the “olden days.” My daughter is confused during a family movie night when an actor plays an album on the turntable. To her a record player is a DJ’s scratch pad. She hears all about keeping things simple and I now realize I have set myself into that clichĆ©. She believes I grew up in it, that simpler time in her mind, where people sang for no reason at all and danced to the orchestra in their head. Now it is my turn to pass along the experience and recreate a simpler time for my own children, to elevate some of the holiday stress and just enjoy being together. This weekend the village of Lake Placid will turn on its old world charm and celebrate its annual Holiday Stroll. Santa will kick off the event with free skating at the Olympic Oval starting at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, for anyone wishing to complete or (gasp!) start holiday shopping, several venues are available for children to be dropped off gi

Lake Champlain Film Society Free Showing of The African Queen

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The Champlain Valley Film Society will be celebrating its 100th film with a free showing of classic Katharine Hepburn/Humphrey Bogart film The African Queen. In 1952, this film won Humphrey Bogart his only Oscar though he had been nominated for Casablanca and The Caine Mutiny. Read more

Hire a licensed Adirondack Guide: Adirondack Outdoor Expeditions!

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Here is the new mock-up for the latest Adirondack Outdoor Expeditions brochure. The website is still a work in progress. I will place an update when the 2010 schedule and calendar is up and running! Thank you for your interest. Tyler Chase has been leading small groups of teenagers and families into the Adirondack woods and waterways since 1983. He teaches Math in the Saranac Lake School District during the school year and has a Masters Degree in Outdoor Education. Although summer is his busy hiking season, he finds time all year to get into the wilderness with his wife and two children. He climbed his 46th high peak in 1978 and has continued hiking and climbing each peak several times since. For Tyler it is less about "conquering" the peak as it is about enjoying all a mountain has to offer. He has travelled to many parts of the world, but finds himself truly at home in the Adirondacks.

Moby Dick at the Pendragon Theatre

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Just a quick note for anyone looking for a rainy day activity this weekend. Pendragon Theatre is performing Moby Dick Rehearsed November 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on November 22. My ten-year-old and I attended the opening and we both loved it. It is remarkably well done. Even if you have not read the Herman Melville book of the white whale, the play brings to life that suspenseful tale of the sea that all can enjoy. Pendragon Theatre has managed to tell the story in just two hours. For an unabridged annual reading marathon you would have to travel well outside the Adirondacks to the New Bedford Whaling Museum where each year the book is read out loud by approximately 150 readers in a mere 25 hours.

Adirondack Museums: The Wild Center's Winter Hours

The winter hours for The Wild Center are November 1st - Memorial Day: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Adirondack Bowling: Saranac Lanes

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Bowling for Prizes I have never thought about bowling as something to do on the fly, go in for a quick game and leave. In my experience it has always been on outing. Romano’s Saranac Lanes has changed my opinion with all the various activities they have going on for children. Anyone wondering what to do with their children during school closings (snow days, conference days) may want to rethink bowling as an option where the special is $5.00 for two games and $1.00 for shoes. Though I am a huge fan of manual labor on school closings, I am sure my children would prefer to bowl. That said, there is also after school bowling from 3:00 -5:00 for the same $6. As far as my daughter is concerned bowling is all about the shoes. She does not care about the score on the screen or that her brother fist pumps with each pin down. She is there to see and be seen. Once again Romano’s Saranac Lanes has generously offered to hold another fundraiser. Twenty-four teams of five can sign up for the Nort

New York State Trivia: New York State Bird

Trivia: What is the New York State bird? Answer Here

Adirondack Youth Climate Summit Video

If you missed the live stream of the The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit that took place this past weekend at the Wild Center, please check out the video of the event. Workshops were scheduled throughout the two-day event pairing students with experienced personnel to inspire the 150 participants to come up with working models to green their schools and communities. Twenty high schools and six universities participated in this inaugural event. These institutions will serve as models in energy efficiency, sustainable energy usage, building maintenance, landscaping & grounds management, school & community garden planning, and how to affect the current science curriculum in schools. Read more