Posts

Lake George: Martha's Dandee Ice Creme

Image
Sunday - Thursday 11 am - 9 pm Friday - Saturday 11 am - 10 pm  © Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series, Adirondack Family Time™, which is available online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the third guidebook in the four-book series of Adirondack Family Activities™.

Adirondack Invasive Species Awareness Week July 7-13, 2013

Adirondack Invasive Species Awareness Week Celebrated Annually the Second Week of July Adirondack communities and organizations will celebrate the 8th annual ISAW July 7 - July 13, 2013 . WHY*      Invasive plants and animals threaten Adirondack lakes, ponds, rivers, and forests, which are precious resources that underwrite the economy of many communities through recreation, tourism, forestry, and numerous other uses. WHAT*   Learn about the issues surrounding invasive species (both plant and animal, aquatic and terrestrial) and about the importance of native biodiversity in the Adirondacks by attending workshops, field trips, lectures, and control parties.  WHO*     Hundreds of citizens of all ages across the Adirondack region. WHERE*     Nature centers, natural areas, lakes, rivers, agricultural fields, parks, campgrounds, institutions of higher learning, natural history museums… WHEN*     The second week of July every year. HOW*    Plan an activity for

Baking Soda Volcanos and 40 Other Uses For Baking Soda

Image
Since we all have an interest in keeping the toxic items aways from our kids, here is one product no family should do without. Baking soda!  Sodium Bicarbonate is not only cheap but can be used as a cleanser or beauty product. My kids love to make "volcanos" simply using a bottle, baking soda and vinegar. You can get a bit more complicated if you wish but I  like to keep things simple. To make a volcano: Materials: One short bottle (not too tall or the baking soda "lava" won't flow over the top), 2 tbs of baking soda, few drops dish detergent, vinegar, towels to clean up the mess Put a few drops of dish detergent at the bottom of the bottle Put in about two tablespoons of baking soda into the bo ttle S lowly pour in the vinegar and watch the volcano erupt! The baking soda and vinegar combine to produce carbonic acid which breaks apart (causing all the fizzing) into water and carbon dioxide. • If you wish to get fancy, papier-mĆ¢chĆ© the bottle with

Learning Roadside Signs

Image
Did you know? There is not just one system! • The US Highway numbering system was established by the federal government in 1926. • Interstate Highway numbering system was established in 1956 by the Federal Aid High Way Act during the Eisenhower administration. • Regional roads are numbered under individual state and county systems How to tell where you are going! Interstate Highway signs North to South • Are marked with a blue and red "shield" shape • North-South routes are assigned odd numbers  i.e. look for Interstate 87 t hroughout the Adirondacks  or Interstate 95 traverses the east coast from the Canadian Border outside Houlton, Maine to the southern tip of Miami, Florida. • The numbers are lower in the west and increase from west to east. Interstate Highway signs from East to West • Are marked with a blue and red "shield" shap • East-West routes are assigned even numbers i.e. look for Interstate 90, which crosses USA from Boston, Massachuse

Adirondack Farm to School June 6

Image

Adirondack Coast Free Museum Day Schedule June 1-2, 2013

Image
For the 6 th year, the Adirondack Coast Cultural Alliance (ACCA) and Press Republican have pulled together a free passport to 14 participating museums, cultural centers and historical societies for the first weekend in June.  Make sure to ask about the ACCA Passport. Though this weekend offers free admission, each passport can be used to collect the necessary stamps from each venue throughout the summer. Participants must collect one stamp from each venue by September 12, 2013 in order to be eligible for prizes from Ausable Chasm, Titus Mountain, Parker Family Maple Farm and more.    

Building and Placing A Bat House

Image
Do you want to help bring back the bat population to the Adirondacks?  White-nose Syndrome has killed more than 5.7 million bats  since it was discovered in a single New York cave in February 2006 DID YOU KNOW? • There are cave bat species (Northern Bat, Little Brown Bat, Indiana Bat, Eastern Pipistrelle, Big Brown Bat) and tree bat species (small-footed bat, red bat, hoary bat, silver-haired bat,  in New York State • All cave bat species in New York State spend the winter hibernating in caves and mines where they live off stored fat reserves.  • According to Bat Conservation International ,  a single bat can capture 500 to 1,000 mosquitoes in a single hour! • Bats are the only mammal that can fly! (Flying squirrels just glide) • Bats wings are similar to a human hand. Yes, it is has four fingers and a thumb • All bats located in New York State eat insects. Other breeds eat    fruit, nectar, small mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, fish, and blood.   • Bats' predators in

Mini golf coming to inlet

Image
Here is the beginning of mini golf behind the Tamarack in Inlet. 

Adirondack Kids at Carousel Birthday Bash

Image
This is not just any birthday party for the Adirondack Carousel ; it is coming up on its first. What an amazing first year it has been. Offering carving workshops, art exhibits, birthday parties, field trips or just a unique carousel ride, the people involved have given much to the community and have much to celebrate.    Instead of throwing a private little affair, the Adirondack Carousel is opening its doors and asking the public to stop by on Saturday and enjoy what the entire Carousel has to offer. On May 25 th  there are a variety of events happening from 10 am – 3:00 pm. Enjoy face painting and balloon animals with MerriLoons the Clown, book signings, and free carousel rides from 10 am – noon. At noon, top it all off with a piece of birthday cake. Ride tokens will be available for purchase for the remainder of the day.

Trail Map: John Brown Farm State Historic Site Lake Placid

Image
Looking for a pleasant place to relax for a few hours? Try John Brown Farm and Historic Site in Lake Placid. As the final resting spot for abolitionist John Brown, the John Brown Farm and Gravesite encompasses the original 244 acres purchased by the Browns in 1849.   After Brown and his followers were executed for treason for the raid at Harper’s Ferry, WV John Brown ’s name soon became synonymous with the anti-slavery movement. 

What To Do For Mother's Day?

Happy Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day is a special time to be able to show your appreciation for the person who gave you life. (That is what I frequently remind my children, in case they were to forget.)  There are many traditional ways to spend Mother’s Day with family such as a homemade breakfast in bed, brunch at a local restaurant or lovely bouquet of flowers. All are thoughtful gifts.  Sometimes children aren’t really involved in the Mother’s Day gift giving process. They become passive recipients. Here are a few ideas to get everyone involved.  1) Go for a nature walk and search for flowers on the trail. Create a “no-pick” bouquet by taking photos or drawing pictures of what was seen. Identify the flowers and trees and put it all in a memory book that will last forever.  2) Ask your mother or grandmother what her favorite game was growing up and ask her to share. Perhaps everyone will learn a new game.  3) Have children bridge the generation gap by a

Recipe: Make Your Own Healthy Fruit "Roll-Ups"

Image
Fruit Leather Trying to find a recipe for children's snacks can be challenging. Thankfully my kids and I have been able to make a fun fruit leather thanks to Chow.com . There are other options and recipes on how to make variations of this healthy version, but we liked the easy use of the applesauce lightly flavored with raspberries. Enjoy!  Difficulty:  Easy |  Total Time:   15 mins, plus at least 6 1/2 hrs baking and cooling time  | Makes:   6 to 8 servings Texture and flavor vary greatly among apple varieties, so we decided to use applesauce as a shortcut in this  DIY  fruit leather recipe. It delivers more consistent flavor and cuts out having to cook and purĆ©e the apples yourself. To get the fun, shockingly pink color, no fake dyes are necessary—we just added raspberries, which also give the fruit leather a nice tartness. Special equipment:  You will need a nonstick silicone baking mat. Time frame:   The fruit leather needs to slowly dehydrate so i

Know About Ticks and Lyme Disease

Image
By Diane Chase I recently spent my Sunday in the Emergency Room due to a classic "target" shaped bite that showed up on my ankle after an Earth Day weekend of clearing trails and picking up roadside garbage near Westport, N.Y. Not only did I get to spend my leisure time with the ER staff but I, usually so diligent with tick searches, did everything wrong regarding my own health. So to save you a trip to the ER and a bothersome dose of antibiotics, here are some safety tips for tick prevention. I live in the northern sector of the Adirondack Park and did not take in consider that the above average warm temperatures in the southern Adirondacks would bring out ticks earlier than usual. I had dressed for the cold with dark pants and socks. I was on my knees clearing brush and digging out long forgotten garbage. I was careless and now have a 14-day round of antibiotics to show for it. By the time I noticed the classic bullseye tick bite indicator, I no longer had the tick to i