Adirondack Family Time™

Being active is an important part of family time. Sometimes all it takes is a walk around the block after dinner to unwind from a stressful work and school day. It doesn't take a huge event to turn off the television, go for a walk and really listen to what is happening with your family.  There are many places to go around Saratoga Springs. Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature) has been working over time to provide a variety of wilderness locations to allow everyone to get out and enjoy nature.  In summer 2012 the 63-acres Coldbrook Preserve was added to the Saratoga PLAN list.  In addition to wildlife protection, the preserve will provide opportunities for walking, hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing for area residents and connects land owned by The Nature Conservancy, Saratoga County Forest, and Wilton Wildlife Preserve. Look for Blanding's turtle, a New York State threatened species. This preserve will provide critic space for its wetland habitat. 

Did you know the Blanding turtle is named for a  19th century naturalist William Blanding of Pennsylvania?  Di you know the  Blanding Turtle can live up to 80 years!  Blanding's Turtle is medium in size!  It has an  average shell length of about  7 - 9"  usually not reaching any larger than 10"   Distinguishing feature?   A bright yellow chin and throat.  What is the upper shell called?   The carapace, which is domed but slightly flat along the midline but looks oblong when viewed from above. The upper shell (Carapace) is flecked with   numerous yellow  specks  What is the lower shell called ?  The  plastron  is yellow with dark blotches symmetrically arranged.  The head and legs are dark, and usually speckled or mottled with yellow.  I s it a box turtle?   No, Blanding's turtle is called a semi-box" turtle because the plastral lobes do not shut tightly like a box turtle, but the plastron are hinged.

SCHOOL BREAK CAMP - APRIL BREAK When regional schools are on break, Saratoga Arts offers full-week programs in both theater and visual arts for children ages 5-14. Our visual arts campers will learn about famous art and artists while creating their own masterpieces inspired by them; our theater campers will learn the basics of theater like character development and set design and will conclude their program with a performance in our Dee Sarno Theater. Saratoga Arts’ faculty know and understand how children learn about and create art and work with students to ensure they are reaching their full artistic potential. Saratoga Arts offers three different programs during April Break: Monday - Friday: April 1 - April 5 April Break (ages 5-7) Our 1/2 day visual arts camp for the little ones. The program runs Monday - Friday, 9am - 12pm. $130 for members / $140 for non-members April Break (ages 8-14)   only 5 spots left! Our full day visual arts camp. The program runs Monday - F

This video is about a small town located in Hamilton County, in the Southern Adirondacks, in the State of New York, in the United States of America. Narrated by Lake Pleasant Town Historian,"Anne Weaver", and Speculator Village Historian, "Bev Hoffman". All Pictures are provided by the Historical Society of Lake Pleasant and Speculator. This video was created for the opening of Lake Pleasant's Bicentennial, which was the year 2012. 

I love going to a place that has a story. Though not every place I bring my family to has as rich a history as The Pine Inn in Lake Placid, there is usually something interesting about all the Adirondack locations that makes us come back for more. Though we went during the special Duncan's Grille Oktoberfest weekend at The Pines' Inn in Lake Placid, the intimate dining experience wasn't just about the amazing food, it was about the quality of the experience. We started out with some fresh pretzels , hot mustard and a cold beer. Delicious! We were given a few choices of sides so my kids chose the tasty red cabbage,  fresh sauerkraut with potatoes and gravy along with the main course.  Bratwurtz and Schnitzels! I wasn't sure how my kids would like the food. They aren't picky, but sometimes my youngest can't pass up the grilled cheese menu option when we go out to eat.  They loved it all! It was comfort food on a plate. I didn't get

Each March Pendragon Theatre offers to the public something new whether introducing a new director, play or original work.  For me this opportunity highlights the importance of live theatre. When seeing a movie the audience misses all that goes into the making of the film and can only catch a glimpse when the credits role with job descriptions that most of the time have little meaning.  Theatre gives us the chance to see a collaborative effort where special effects are not computer generated.   Pendragon Theatre, Saranac Lake, is presenting its annual New Directions Series  Friday, March 22 nd  at 7 pm and Saturday, March 23 rd  at 2 pm and 7 pm. General Admission tickets are $5.

The last scheduled winter event of the season with the Lake George Land Conservancy will take place this Saturday, March 23 at the Lake George Recreation Center/Berry Pond Preserve.  Saturday, March 23; 9 am – 1 pm This FREE event is in its third year. Join in all the family-fun while enjoying the trail system at the Berry Pond Preserve. There will be live raptor demonstrations, educational touch-tables, soups, hot chocolate and kids crafts.  

By Diane Chase, Adirondack Family Time Titus Mountain has six double chairlifts, two triple chairlifts, and two hand-tows serving 42 trails and two terrain parks.   The mountain has a history around skiing that started in the late 1940s when a local man built a rope tow on his property and powered it with an old Buick sedan. Neighbors and friends enjoyed the simple ski hill until it officially opened as a ski center in the early sixties as Moon Valley.  The Lodge at Titus Family Ski Center has been enlarged! 

Andy Flynn, publisher of Hungry Bear Publishing in Saranac Lake and author of the popular Adirondack Attic book series along with  friends from the Adirondack Forest Preserve Education Partnership (AFPEP)  has published a Kindle ebook titled New York's Adirondack Park: A User's Guide .  According to a press release from Flynn the book includes 13 of Flynn’s stories from the “Adirondack Attic” book series, straight from the archives of the Adirondack Museum, to help illustrate the “how-to” aspects of using the Forest Preserve and give a historical perspective.

Irish Road Bowling takes place on a country road, but beware the road is not usually blocked off to traffic.  Speculator, NY and Indian Lake are just two places that enjoy this St. Patrick's Day tradition!  Irish road bowling has been played in the Irish countryside since the 1600s.  Using a 28-oz iron or steel ball, called a bowl, or bullet is chucked down a country road to the finish. The player or team with the fewest shots at the finish line wins. The "course" can up to two miles long.

Visiting the Central Adirondacks?  McCauley Mountain's cross-country ski trails are FREE for the whole month of March!  

Inspired by  Jr Iron Chef VT, a project of Burlington School Food Project and Vermont FEED , North Country Iron Chef Jr is helping to bolster the local food movement in school cafeterias.  North Country Iron Chef Jr is making its debut on March 9, 2013 at the  Eben Holden Center, St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. A cooking competition for middle and high school students from  Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties. , North Country Iron Chef, Jr.  The goal of North Country Iron Chef Jr. is for students, using a combination or local and USDA foods create a recipe that could be prepared in a school cafeteria. While promoting the use of local foods in school menus, North Country Iron Chef Jr also provides students with hands-on experience and an opportunity to lifelong skills that relate to healthy living.  Each team had to submit a recipe the the committee by February 1 that met a list of criteria including the use of 2   local products

I love Benne wafers. They have a slightly sweet taste and crisp texture. Just a few can satisfy my sweet tooth. Sesame is also high in protein, contains no cholesterol and is rich in calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B and E. Of course, when you toss it into a cookie, it has to fend for itself.  Benne (the Bantu word for sesame) was brought to America from East Africa in the 17 th  century during the slave trade era.  Here are two recipes I found the  BENNE WAFERS RECIPE ( 1954 Gourmet magazine ) INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar 1 egg 2 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup sesame (benne) seeds (toasted) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt PREPARATION: Lightly toast the sesame (benne) seeds in a nonstick pan until golden brown. Watch carefully so the seeds won't burn. Cream butter and sugar together and mix with other ingredients in the order given. Use a 1/2 teaspoon to measure the dough and drop onto a cookie pan covered with parchmen