Adirondack Family Time™

Enjoy these simple plans for this simple bench that provides a perfect place to observe the natural world.  C onsidered by many as the father of wildlife management and of the United States’ wilderness system, Aldo Leopold was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast . “That land is a community is the basic concept off ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.” Though his book, The Sand County Almanac is a must read, it may be something that can wait for anyone with very young children. For everyone else, it's a wonderful example of nature writing that is a timeless connection to the land. My family first made our first  "Leopold Bench" as a group effort at the Aldo celebration at the A dirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb, NY. It remains one our most comfortable outdoor benches. It also was a project that allowed us to work together. © Diane Chase, author of A dirondac

Poke-O-Moonshine Fire Tower, Keeseville NY Climbing Poke-O-Moonshine, Keeseville Elevation: 2,170' Vertical ascent: 1,450' Ranger Trail: (red markers) 1.2-mile Truck Trail: (blue markers) 2.4 We have not climbed Poke-O-Moonshine in quite some time. My son wants to listen to the song that refers to it by name. My husband and I look at him in confusion. He quotes the lyrics, “Misty Poke-Moonshine, teardrop in my eye.” Hmmm. It leads to a discussion on John Denver, “Country Roads” and the moonshine, in that song, refers to the home-brew “white lightening” not an Adirondack hike. hiking map of Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain  All references I’ve found to the name point to it being an amalgamation of the Algonquin words “pohqui” meaning broken and “moosie” translating to smooth. Some people believe the name refers to the flat rock summit and sheer granite cliffs. Those cliffs attract rock climbers from all over to attempt more than 50 rock-climbing routes with n

Please be careful today when watching the Solar Eclipse cross over North America. Even though the Adirondacks only expect to be at about 63-67% totality (the moon covering the sun), the harshness of the sun's rays will still do damage to your eyes if you do not wear the proper protection. To see what time the Solar Eclipse is happening in your area, click here.  According to the  NASA website , during a solar eclipse the moon aligns with the sun, temporarily blocking out some or all of the sun's rays. Why is it important to wear proper protective eye wear?  1) The sun will literally burn your eyes. 2) Since the sun is partially blocked, people may think the sun's rays are not harmful. That is not true. With the sun partially blocked, people have a false sense of security. Proper eye protection is required. © TIME magazine: 1960s school children view solar eclipse with cardboard box 3)   Solar retinopathy occurs when ultraviolet light from the sun floods t

There are numerous posts regarding the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse. Here is my own post from May that also targets the various seasonal full moons.  All the safety measures and warnings about wearing approved eclipse glasses are necessary. For anyone interested in creating a visual craft demonstrating where the moon across the East Coast and New York State during the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse, please feel free to print out the graphic I created using data from the NASA website .

There is something special about having alone time with my daughter. It gets even better now that she branches out beyond the princess -themed play to climb, fish, or catch something. This time we explore searching for new lands.  We may not discover uncharted territory in our Adirondack Coast tour, but we will tread on the lands discovered over 400 years ago by Samuel de Champlain. The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse sits on the edge of what is now the Crown Point Public Campground . It overlooks Vermont and sits surrounded by land that witnessed battles and forts. Originally constructed in 1858, the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse is a statement to the States of New York and Vermont and the Province of Quebec who worked together to reconstruct this monument as a testament to explorer Samuel de Champlain. I wish to see the bronze bust “LaFrance” by Auguste Rodin (best know for sculptures “The Thinker” and “The Kiss”) that is part of the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse and m