Adirondack Family Time™

By Diane Chase Adirondack Family Time Fun Facts: • Mt Jo was originally named “The Bear” • It was renamed Mt. Jo in 1877 to honor Josephine Schofield, fiancée of Henry Van Hoevenberg. • Josephine Schofield helped choose the site for the Loj but died within the year, never living long enough to see their plans built • Van Hoevenberg bought 640 acres and Mt Jo as a memorial to his fiancée • Henry Van Hoevenberg built the original Adirondack Loj and some of the trails to the surrounding High Peaks. • Mt Jo’s elevation is 2,876 ft with an ascent of 700’. • Heart Lake was originally named Clear Pond. • At the time Adirondack Lodge (now Loj) was built it was the largest log structure in the world. • Melville Dewey, of the Dewey Decimal System, was an advocate for simplified spelling and a member of the Lake Placid Club, one-time owners of the Adirondack Loj.

By Diane Chase Swimming in the heat of the summer can be a chilly affair in the Adirondacks. For the next few months, people across New York State will be cooling off by taking an icy plunge in support of Special Olympic athletes. “Last weekend our first Polar Plunge in Plattsburgh was met with great success.” says New York Special Olympics Associate Director Kaila Horton. “ Between 200-220 people plunged raising over $22,600 dollars in support of the athletes. The Polar Plunge is one of our big fundraisers of the year for Special Olympics.” Read More

I thought it would be interesting to take a picture of what I can/can't see when online. I feel blind while searching around the question marks, seeking the send/submit buttons. This has been an interesting excercise in patience. I am grateful for that.

I type this from a computer that was designated the "children's computer" because when I got my new Mac I knew that my old one would give my kids so much frustration that asking to be online would be as much fun as cleaning the house. Yes, a passive aggressive  way to limit screen time. Now those sentiments have come back to nip me at the heels as I wait 7 days for computer parts in hopes that my computer's tracking pad will once again allow me to work with ease.  This computer chug, chug, chugs along. Internet searches are drawn out and wireless is non existent.  It is giving me a completely new perspective on how much I depend on my computer to get my job done easily. So the next seven days will be challenging and I will be spending more time at the local library while my computer is made functional once more. Taking a break, willing or not, is sometimes just what we all need.

A family walk in the Adirondacks (ADK) is all kids need! Roaring Brook Falls/ Giant Mountain Wilderness Area Distance - 0.3-mile Elevation - n/a Vertical ascent - n/a snowshoe: yes cross-country ski - yes Roaring Brook Falls as seen from Route 73, 3.5 miles south of Keene Valley  in the Adirondacks of New York Park at the Giant Mountain/Roaring Brook parking area and this is a quick 0.3-mile journey for all ages. The path forks for a variety of hiking options. The easiest is keeping the river to your right and heading to the base of Roaring Brook Falls

If you don't have a compost pile  think about donating  your Halloween pumpkin  to a local farmer to feed his/her pigs!

Just outside of Saranac Lake is a great family activity for ADK kids of all ages, The Great Adirondack Corn Maze. The view from Tucker Farms, Gabriels, N.Y. Finding the way out of The Great Adirondack Corn Maze Care to try some of Tucker Farm's red and blue potatoes? 

Don't be afraid to wear that Blaze Orange vest. It's a color that goes with everything! It will bring out the safety in your children's eyes.  When I first moved to the Adirondacks I never took in consideration  hunting season  as having an effect on my outdoor activities. Yes, I realize that was naïve of me but I have no experience with hunting and had only hiked in the summer. During those warm months gun safety is not on a non-hunter’s radar. Since I can’t be the only person in this predicament, here are some simple rules to keep in mind. There is room enough in a six-million-acre park for hunters and hikers. My children are well aware of what they need to do to be safe while hiking in the woods. We unpack our blaze orange vests and hats and stick to the trail. It is this time of year that I encourage them to talk loudly and stick together. Playing it safe during hunting season 1)     Don’t be afraid; be cautious. 2)     Be informed of what is “in season.”

It's only October! Is this really necessary? I have just a few more gardening things to button up. 

Puppetry combines elements of problem solving and creativity. It can also segue children from watching television to seeing a live performance. According to  Puppet People   co-founder, Mark Carrigan, puppetry can spark the imagination where watching television can not. “I got into puppetry as a small child. I remember watching a puppet show when I was in third grade, running home and making my own puppets,” says Carrigan. “After receiving a degree in sculpture, I worked with Bennington Marionettes sculpting the marionettes’ faces. I met my wife there.” Read more here 

Is your child interested in theatre? This year Pendragon Theatre , the Adirondack's only year-round professional theatre, will present performances of “A Christmas Carol” as its Holiday production. For the past several years a variety of different plays have been performed but the Theatre felt it time to return to a much loved holiday classic to conclude the 30th year celebration! Auditions and an informational meeting will be held on Saturday the 23rd of October at 1:00 p.m. Kent Streed will direct. The auditions will consist of readings from the script. The production will open on the18th of December and will have a couple of performances at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts after Christmas – the schedule will be available at the auditions. For other information or questions please call the Theatre at 518-891-1854.

The renovated barns at the Almanzo Wilder Homestead Farmer Boy!

This Saturday, October 2nd, there will be a green energy open house around New York and the Adirondacks supported by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association . With over 140 homes to tour across the state, people can find any example of sustainable energy from pellet stoves, geothermal, passive, solar and more. The opportunity to to see how these processes have worked and meet with people that have taken the step toward energy efficiency is invaluable. As a parent, I always try to be a good example for my own family. Taking kids on green energy tours like this may seem like its a bother but the payback will be well worth it. Just like any other activity, be prepared. Depending on the ages of your children inform them of what you want to look for. Are you interested in getting solar panels or just passive solar? What inventive ways are kids able to come up with to solve your own energy issues?  Let them ask questions, follow the tour around and be a part of the solution. Give the