Adirondack Family Time™

Puck or Robin Goodfellow is still up to the same old tricks, even some 400+ years later. Believed to have been composed before 1600, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, continues to be one of the most popular of the Shakespearian comedies. My children listen to an audio CD so are familiar with the storyline but had yet to see it in performance. It is a physical romp around the Flander’s Park venue in Tupper Lake where actors utilize the whole park as a stage rather than being confined to a small space. Modeled after other outdoor theatre venues, the 12 performances are free. The cost to the pocket is nothing more than, well nothing! An added benefit, as far as I’m concerned, is no need to stand in a virtual e-ticket line like larger open-air venues such as the Central Park Delacorte Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park. There is nothing worse than standing in line whether virtual or real time. We get to walk right in and set up our blanket and chairs, spread out our picnic

Here is a brief synopsis of family events happening around the Adirondack Park this weekend. Clinton County: July 31: 11:00 a.m. The Annual Bits and Pieces Festival at the Adirondack History Center Museum: 400 yrs. of history with reflections on the Quadricentennial created in collaboration with the Depot Theatre, the Westport Central School and the Westport Heritage Festival. Tickets are: $10/general; $5/museum members; $2/students. Essex: July 31: 8:30 p.m. (free) Lake Placid Heart Lake Program Center at ADK's Adirondack Loj. Night walk. Franklin: July 31: 7:00 p.m. (free) Shakespeare in the Park, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Paul Smith’s Visitor Interpretive Center’s (VIC) amphitheatre. www.adirondackarts.org. Hamilton: August 1, 2:00 p.m, Shakespeare in the Park, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” www.adirondackarts.org - Inlet August 1, 7:00 p.m., Shakespeare in the Park, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” www.adirondackarts.org - Speculator August 1: (free) Children's Concert

Help this turtle win the race for the cure! I will not be the rabbit in this race but the turtle steady and slow. Hopefully each step I take and each pledge you make will help us all reach our goal and find a cure. This September 13th I will be running in the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in honor of my friend Joan Taylor Westman. Joan was a mother, daughter, friend, wife, artist and much more to many more. We have all been touched by circumstances similar to Joan's. Perhaps you know someone right now who is waiting to hear the news that a cure is in reach. Please help make that wish a reality. Sometimes we are unable to find a way to help. Please give what you can. I believe that all of you will help me exceed expectations. If I can get out and run (and you know how much I looovvveee to run) then you can dig out that change from under the couch, think about a friend, neighbor, teacher, or relative that is struggling to overcome this obstacle and donate. It's the only way!