Adirondack Family Time™

By Diane Chase The Adirondack spring snow was unexpected. It doesn't matter if it happens every spring, I still do not expect it. I pack my children's boots away hoping that the mere act of getting the winter gear out of site will render them out of season. Well, that plan didn't work for me so back we loaded on the layers, made snow blobs (it would be too generous to call them men, women or children) and had a snow ball fight. It may not snowed lemons but we made lemonade just the same. This Saturday is May Day. If you want to resurrect the old fashioned tradition of a May Day basket, check out these tips. Also a reminder that the Wild Center reopens on May 1st after a month of putting on a new spring face! The theme of events this weekend seems to be all about recycling and reusing as everyone from town-wide rummage sales to library sales are on the docket. This weekend is supposed to be back to warm weather but we'll keep our jackets handy. Enjoy the weekly line-u

In a report from Plastiki , Adventure Ecology founder and environmentalist David de Rothschild and his intrepid crew; Jo Royle, David Thomson, Olav Heyerdahl along with National Geographic filmmaker Max Jourdan and Myoo Media’s Vern Moen set sail on the Plastiki, a 60 ft catamaran engineered from approximately 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles and srPET, a fully recyclable material. An ‘off‐the‐grid’ vessel relying primarily on renewable energy systems, the Plastiki and her crew will journey more than 11,000 nautical miles drawing attention to the health of our oceans, in particular the colossal amounts of plastic debris, by showcasing waste as a resource and demonstrating real world solutions through the design and construction of the Plastiki. The Plastiki began her adventure nearly four years ago after taking inspiration from a report issued by UNEP called ‘Ecosystems and Biodiversity in Deep Waters and High Seas’ and Thor Heyerdahl’s epic 1947 expedition, The Kon‐Tiki. True to Adv

By Diane Chase This is a frustrating report and seems to go against everything that scouting stands for, a pin/belt for video gaming? There is a badge for computers but to gain the badge supports an outdoor lifestyle with requirements such as "using a spreadsheet program, develop a food budget for a patrol weekend camp out." The Video Gaming Belt Loop or pin is an award for the Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts with such requirements as "Teach an adult or a friend how to play a video game." and "Choose a game you might like to purchase. Compare the price for this game at three different stores. Decide which store has the best deal. In your decision, be sure to consider things like the store return policy and manufacturer’s warranty." According to the home page of Boy Scouts of America "Scouting promises you the great outdoors. As a Scout, you can learn how to camp and hike without leaving a trace and how to take care of the land. You’ll s

A late spring snow storm won't stop children from having fun!

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Well, it is supposed to snow upwards of 6-8 inches today. We already have a light dusting and it is coming down steadily. Perhaps those pesky black flies will get their comeupance with this freeze, though I fear my flowers are going to pay the price as well. I'd gladly sacrifice a few daffodils for a bug-free spring! There was quite a bit of grumbling in our household this morning as my son begrudgining dug out long pants while staring longingly at his shorts and flops. Having to wear a winter coat might have been the last straw. I asked them to look on the bright side: no snow pants or boots! My son comments to his sister that 'Mom has finally snapped.'

By Diane Chase Earth Day is every day and to prove it here is a continuation of fun activities happening around the Adirondack Park. Also, even though the ski season just ended don't miss out on discounts for season passes to Gore Mountain or Whiteface . Southern Adks 4/23/10 all day The Adirondack Living Show 7:00 p.m. Benefit concert for the United Way and see FLAME at the Gloversville High School 7:00 p.m. Free Film Forum: Sharkwater Rock Hill Café, 19 Exchange St, Glens Falls 4/24/10 all day The Adirondack Living Show all day: Lake George Land Conservancy Earth Day Celebration 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Feeder Canal Annual Clean-Up , Queensbury 9:00 a.m. - noon Farmer's Market at Christ Church Methodist Church, Glens Falls 11:00 a.m. Wood Carving workshop at the Adirondack Center for the Arts 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Make May Baskets at the Chapman Historical Museum 2:00 p.m. 30th Anniversary Ice Show 5:30 p.m. Tannery Pond Community Center spaghetti dinner ($) and free slide sh

By Diane Chase When do you ever hear the words library and mini golf in the same sentence? I haven’t seen the Weekender write-up but I hope that it includes at the very least the word oxymoron and possibly “brilliant idea.” So if you are heading to the links this weekend perhaps a warm-up at the Saranac Lake Free Library is worth the trip. You can get in a bit of putting practice while supporting a good cause. Five dollars for eighteen holes of play has to be the best deal in town. The library will be closed for regular services on Saturday but this will give us all an opportunity to explore every nook our library has to offer. One part I am looking forward to is on the walls. The original artwork, which has been appraised, is currently being upgraded with archival materials one piece at a time. The staff has been updating the old catalog that includes write-ups about the original artwork, some donated by tuberculosis patients taking “the cure.” We each have our favorite sections of

My family's Earth Day tradition is cleaning the trailhead of one our favorite hikes. We have found some crazy things tucked along the edges of the parking lot of Ampersand Mountain. Some have been personal items that I had difficulty explaining to my son, which only reinforced the importance of wearing gloves. The deer carcass would have been easy to justify in nature, except its remains were still wrapped in a plastic bag. Beer cans and cigarette butts are sadly a normal sight. Read more

Learning to ride a bicycle has as many stages as learning to walk, though walking seems to come with less drama. First the scooter stage (quad-cycle,) then on to the tricycle, which leads to training wheels. Finally that two-wheeled sense of freedom is achieved. Each stage brings a different challenge. For my family, each stage was clung to with white-knuckled intensity. Read More Here

Pendragon Theatre* in Saranac Lake is celebrating its 30th year with deals on live performance subscriptions. Four subscription types are available between May 1, 2010 - April 30, 2011. Pendragon will offer 11 productions Year Round: All 11 events (including Moby Dick and Shakespeare) $120 Year Round: All 9 events $100 The 5 Show Summer Full Length: $70 Special 30th year deal: "3 for $30" = 3 events for $30 restrictions do apply. only one per person per season) Good for any combination of full length, cabaret, alumni event, etc but just three events. The line-up is An adaptation of Jungle Book Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice Constance Cogdon's adaptation of The Imaginery Invalid Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff A return engagement of Orson's Welle's Moby Dick Rehearsed A return engagement of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) One Night Only "Pendragon Alumni" staged reading on July 17, 2010 with reception Cabaret Evenings - so

After a few weekends filled with theatre we needed a little family outdoor time to bring back some balance. We have never entered the William C. Whitney Wilderness area. We have driven past with a longing look wondering what lies beyond that road. As we drive down the winding road private posted signs flank the road. At first we are unsure if we are going the right way. Finally those familiar DEC signs start appearing. The William C. Whitney area is surrounded by private land in and around the Wilderness area. We cross the bridge over Little Tupper Lake when someone spots a pair of mallards paddling on the marsh. It is one of our first signs of spring. The horse trail is just beyond so we eagerly question what other spring gifts may be on the trail. We have no plans to walk the complete four miles to the shore of Little Tupper Lake. Stony Pond is a little closer at 2.75-miles. The snow is granular and the ground is bare in most places. The snowshoes are obsolete here. We kick t

The 45-minute opera of The Three Little Pigs will be held at the Charles R. Wood Theatre in Glens Falls free of charge at 1:00 p.m. on March 27. According to Executive Director Bill Woodward seating for the operatic performance at the Wood Theatre is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The 299-seat theatre will be open a half-hour before show time. “This a great opportunity for kids to come and see opera where it is reachable. It is a fairy tale and children are mesmerized with the singing. It’s a good way to assimilate them to opera,” says Woodward. “Parents will enjoy it just as much as the kids.” Read More