Adirondack Family Time™

Sometimes my children seem to forget that spring is a season. To them it seems more pit stop to summer than an event of its own. After a long winter, that seemed to want to continue with those late snowfalls, our house is a rush of summertime activity. My children want to discontinue jackets while one even attempts to boycott long pants. I am afraid to pack up the boots and coats because last time I stored the winter gear it snowed. I am just superstitious enough to believe that there is a connection. The 1st annual Daffest will be a wonderful way to really cement the idea that spring deserves celebrating on its own. Saranac Lake’s new community event will paint the town yellow in 2011. Pathways and parks will be a bloom of color. Over a million bulbs will be planted this fall out and around Saranac Lake. To find out how to help, please go to daffest.com. Bulbs are available for purchase at a variety of sponsorship and donor levels. After a long winter a million daffodils will be a wel

There is really nothing like a canoe trip to really bring out the strengths and weaknesses in a family. It requires balance; strength and teamwork some of which we are sometimes in short supply. As we transition from winter sports to summer fun our organization skills are put to the test. The children have outgrown their life jackets and the weather can’t decide whether to snow or rain. The bug spray has to be found along with my very attractive bug netting. Citronella wafts around us like a cloud sparking memories of spring. We have decided to take two cars and leave one at the end of our destination so we will only be going downstream. We are not equipped to go over the permanent rapids and decide a portage isn’t in the cards for this short outing. We start just north of the Village of Saranac Lake and spend a few moments going over the rules of the river. It may seem like common sense but my children always need to be reminded not to stand up in a canoe. The current is swift and

By Diane Chase Personally I like to see my fish on a platter with a slice of lemon but I am out voted every time. My children and husband love to fish though they mostly subscribe to the “catch and release” philosophy. Part of me thinks that it is because my children are not really successful with the catching part making the release a foregone conclusion. Read More

I do love to cook. I make my own bread, yogurt and summer jams. I enjoy spending time in the kitchen with my family as we share the fun of cutting up vegetables. Doesn’t that all sound idyllic? The part that is truly a chore is doing the dishes. Good grief. No matter how many times I ask that we try to reuse the same glass those cups pile up. I am just as guilty. I put down my water or forget my coffee cup and just reach for another. Spoons seem to spring from cupboard to sink. So under the guise of community spirit, I look forward to those opportunities to dine out and let someone else share in the clean up. Tonight the Lake Placid Elementary School is holding a benefit to raise funds for a new natural playground, Paw Print Park, from 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., at the school’s cafeteria. The Italian-styled dinner ($8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children) is from a variety of local restaurants. If you are just interested in taking a break from cooking you can even get it to go by c

By Diane Chase In Lake Placid tonight a group of Lake Placid Elementary School parents and community members will be offering an Italian Feast to support a new playground called Paw Print Park. A variety of local restaurants such as Villa Vespa, Crowne Plaza, Main Street Pizza, Hohmeyers, Paul Smiths College are providing the feast with donated items from Gauthier’s, Northwood School and Steak and Seafood Company. The menu is baked ziti, lasagna, grain salad, green salad, homemade sauce and meatballs, and a variety of yummy desserts. This is not a private endeavor. It is a huge undertaking organized by parents to replace the existing 20-year-old playground. As funds and grants are being raised for this new renovation at the public school, the public has been and always will be welcome to use and continue to use the playground. The new proposal has a school garden, composting facility as well as natural playground in a similar style as The Wild Center 's The Pines. The fee is mini

By Diane Chase Mother's Day Weekend isn't all about sitting around being served homemade French toast with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and reading the New York Times Sunday paper undisturbed, while members of the family worship the ground you (mothers') walk on. (Yes, I do realize that is a run-on sentence but felt the sudden urge to get a menu request out there.) It's about being together. For those that have mothers... Happy Mother's Day. For a brief history surrounding Mother Day's, here is my latest post on Adirondack Almanack . For a weekend full of activities Tri-Lakes 5/8/10 all day Northern Lights School Bowl-A-Thon Saranac Lakes 7:30 p.m. Lake Placid Center for the Arts presents Bright Star 8:30 a.m. – noon Volunteer to indentify Adirondack birds by sight and sounds at the Paul Smiths VIC 10:00 a.m. Paul Smiths VIC API Friends walk 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Arts and Craft Fair at NCCC, Malone Campus where Artisans, book sale, art vendors and more. Fre

By Diane Chase May 1st is always a celebration of spring. Whether you choose to give a May Day Basket or a Tussie-Mussie, it is a wonderful way to highlight the change in seasons. The May Day basket dates back to ancient Roman festivals of spring. Pick or buy a bouquet of flowers and arrange place them in a basket. Secretly place them on the door of a neighbor. This an excellent activity for you to do with your children as it gives them a sense of doing something altruistic. It is a kind gesture and can bring a sense of community. A tussie-mussie is a nosegay of flowers and herbs bound together by a ribbon or a doily and chosen for the message it conveys. This old-fashioned nosegay or posy delivers a message to the recipient. The sentiment is entirely up to the maker of the tussie-mussie. Use roses and myrtle to express love or lavender to show happiness. Don’t forget to add a card which clearly defines the meanings of each plant included in the tussie-mussie so your sentiments will

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.'