Adirondack Family Time™

By Diane Chase The first and only time we have seen author Joseph Bruchac and his musician son Jesse perform was at the Old Forge Adirondack Storytelling Festival at the McCauley Mountain Chalet. It was a riveting mix of music and Native American storytelling. My children have checked out plenty of Bruchac books from the school library and a few more line our shelves at home. Joseph (Joe) Bruchac has written over 70 books for children and adults as well as poetry, short stories, music and anthologies. The theme throughout is his strong tie to his Abenaki culture.

By Diane Chase For the 2 nd  year Amusements of America will be coming to Tupper Lake between stops at the Saratoga and Franklin County Fair. In case anyone is wondering about these traveling fairs, Saratoga County Fair (held in Ballston Spa) is one of the oldest fairs in New York State and still organized by the Saratoga Agricultural Society while the Franklin County Fair (held in Malone) is run by the Franklin County Agricultural Society and has continued to provide this annual event for over 150 years. Now the Tupper Lake Lions Club has gotten into the carnival game. From July 27-31 at the Tupper Lake Municipal Park there will be an assortment of carnival rides for children of all ages, from rides for small children to something the parents can share like the Ferris wheel, merry-go-round or the “dizzy dragon.” I can’t tell you what the last one is because when I spoke with Maurice from Amusements of America it sounded like he was on the Ferris Wheel at Saratoga County Fair. He ass

FRIDAY ADIRONDACK FARMERS' MARKETS ESSEX COUNTY Elizabethtown - Behind the Adirondack History Center Museum.  Adirondack Farmers' Market    Fridays, June through October, 9 am-1 pm HERKIMER COUNTY Old Forge - Park Ave., behind the Old Forge Hardware Store Fridays, June - October  3-6 pm WARREN COUNTY Warrensburgh - Warrensburgh Mills historic district, River Street (NYS Rte. 418) near Curtis Lumber. Fridays, May through October  3 -6 pm Bolton Landing - Behind Town Hall Fridays: June - September 9 am - 2 pm 

By Diane Chase Charlie’s Inn in Lake Clear is going to become a hub of activity this weekend, July 16-17, in celebration of the Lake Clear Junction Station Centennial. Inside the beautifully preserved Lake Clear Junction Station Depot is an exact miniature replica of the Lake Clear Depot and surrounding houses, circa 1911.  To commemorate the event will be a variety of vendors, events and activities meticulously planned by Betsy and Wayne Tucker. The building has some stories to tell. My daughter and I are able to gather just tidbits of the momentous era when train travel provided possibility to the Adirondacks. Historic Saranac Lake, Paul Smith’s College and over 15 other vendors will be around to demonstrate the elements that brought together Dr. William Seward Webb, Paul Smith, stagecoaches, an electric railway, NY Central Railway and settling the Adirondacks. There will be authors to meet, Adirondack Carousel carvings to see and a Pendragon Theatre historical interpretation.

The 6th annual Childstock Music Festival  is not only a day of acoustic and electric music it is a family-friendy event for all ages!! The day starts at and is filled with music from "The Stone Revivial Band" to "Lucid."   Doors open at 10:00 a.m, July 30, 2011 Tickets are $18 (presale) adults, $15/students,  Children 12 & under are FREE when accompanied by a paying adult.  $22 tickets at the "door"    Childstock is a charity event, donating all profits to the Malone Music Booster, dedicated to keeping music in schools! They are also supporting local food and beverage vendors.  Children's activities will be available from 11am-3pm, including: ~Recycled & Biodegradable Art~ tables FULL of things from nature to make beautiful art with ~Wishboat Workshop~ build your own boat and set sail with a special wish! ~Painting & Coloring ~ express yourself with markers, crayons & paints!

By Diane Chase Tupper Lake Woodsmen's Days will be here July 8-10, 2011 at the Municipal Park. This event kicks off with an evening  BBQ and live music at the Municipal Park Bandshell. This is an fun-filled weekend of activity that highlights all the traditional logging competitions from large horse pull to a greased pole race, all in the Adirondack Park. People from all over the country participate in this annual event to show the skills and art involved in the logging industry. Logging played such an important part in the history of Tupper Lake, it only makes sense that this event continues to thrive and draw people from all walks of live. Paul Smith's College, Forestry Department, has teams of students usually participating in this annual event. Enjoy!. There is even a schedule of events just for kids' activities . Kids can enjoy an obstacle course, water balloon toss or magic show to name just a few. © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes an

WEDNESDAY ADIRONDACK SUMMER FARMERS’ MARKETS ESSEX COUNTY Lake Placid - outside of Green Goddess Natural Foods. Ausable Valley Grange Farmers Market Wednesdays, June through Sept. 10 am - 1 pm  FRANKLIN COUNTY Malone - Malone DuFort Airport, Route 11. adirondackfarmersmarket.com Wednesdays, June through Oct.  noon-4:30 SARATOGA COUNTY Saratoga - Wilton Mall, 3060 Rt 50    saratogafarmersmarket.org .  Wednesdays, May through October 3-6 pm  (Saturdays, May through October 9 am-1 pm) © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes & High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)  

TUESDAY ADIRONDACK FARMERS’ MARKETS LEWIS COUNTY Lyons Falls - Village Park. Tuesdays, June through October  noon - 5 pm SARATOGA COUNTY Gansvoort  - Catherine Street   Tuesdays, June through October  3-6 pm   WASHINGTON COUNTY Whitehall - Boulevard in the Village Park along the canal. Tuesdays, early June through late October  1 -4 pm  ©Diane Chase is the author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes & High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)  

SATURDAY ADIRONDACK FARMERS' MARKETS CLINTON COUNTY 

  Chateaugay Lakes - State Rt. 374 on the lawn of the Hollywood Inn. adirondackfarmersmarket.com   Saturdays, June through September  10 am -2 pm Plattsburgh - Pavilion downtown by Bridge, Durkee and Broad Streets.  Saturdays, May through October  9 am -2 pm (Wednesdays, June through early Sepember  9 am -2 pm) ESSEX COUNTY Ticonderoga - Corner of Montcalm & 9N, SW of Moses Circle.  Saturdays, June 25 through October 1, 2011  10:00-1:00 FRANKLIN COUNTY Saranac Lake Village - In the Saranac Lake Riverside Park.    Saturdays, June through October 9 am-2 pm.  Mid-October, the market will move to the Farmers Park-it (drive through orders behind Hotel Saranac) HAMILTON COUNTY Indian Lake  - Indian Lake Central School    Saturdays, July through September 10 am -2 pm LEWIS COUNTY Lowville - Forest Park Pavilion, Main Gate, Lewis County Fairgrounds.  Saturdays, Maythrough October 8 am -2 pm   WARREN COUNTY Glens Fal

Susie Middleton, the talented author of Fresh, Fast & Green ,  is always tinkering in her kitchen coming up with fresh recipes for all the produce from her garden. As a trained chef and former editor and current editor-at-large of Fine Cooking , Susie experiments with fresh product so that I don't have to. It is about as close as I'm going to get to a personal chef. I love to cook but I'm going to leave the recipes to Susie! With my rhubarb popping up all over, I need some new recipes to use up the rhubarb, get my children jazzed about their school snacks and add something interesting when backyard grilling. Rhubarb muffins? Each week my children help make muffins for their school snacks. They get to choose different recipes or make old favorites. It has become a few precious moments we spend with each other and the outcome is always delicious. On Susie's blog, SixBurnerSue , she has pages dedicated to testing recipes from her own garden or from the test kitc

By Diane Chase  51,000 bulbs are starting to wake up in Saranac  Lake New York (NY)  in time for the first Daffest   April 29 - May 1, 2011. Throughout the weekend there will be garden tours, historic tours and the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce will have a booth with a map available. 

By Diane Chase This weekend   Whiteface Mountain   will celebrate its last  The annual pond skimming contest will take place at the base of Whiteface on April 9th  with no entry fee required. Skiers and snowboards will try to gain as much speed as possible to "skim" across a man made pond to win prizes for longest distance, biggest and best splash and best costume. Pond skimming at Whiteface is not just for ticket holders. Spectators can access the event for free. For those in need of accessibility, the event will have a limited view from the sun deck. Pond skimming can be viewed from the gondola but tickets are required. 

By Diane Chase Paul Smith's Retail Bakery Themes March 23  = Princess Day March 30 =  Chocolate April 6 = Cupcakes April 13 = Springfever April 18 = Easter (open two days for Easter) April 20 =Easter (open two days for Easter) April 27 = Daffest I have never managed to get to the Paul Smith’s College Retail Bakery when it is open. I have certainly managed to get to the shop when it is closed, peered into the window looking at the empty bakery shelves thinking if I had only remembered a few hours earlier. I am told the prices are more than reasonable and the 2 nd  year bakery students use this opportunity to showcase the skills they’ve learned toward earning their Associated Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts.

Honorary Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder Most people have heard of the “Little House” books that preserved a personal account of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s frontier life. If you haven't read them it is never too late. Perhaps a trip to the library so you can share these memories of a challenging pioneer lifestyle with your child would be fun. The tie-in to the North Country is the third book in the series,  Farmer Boy , which chronicles the childhood experiences of Laura’s husband Almanzo Wilder.  From 1840 to 1875 the Wilders made Burke, NY (just outside of Malone) their home. Since 1987 the original homestead has been used as a museum and educational center.

Pendragon Theatre* in Saranac Lake is celebrating its 30th year with deals on live performance subscriptions. Four subscription types are available between May 1, 2010 - April 30, 2011. Pendragon will offer 11 productions Year Round: All 11 events (including Moby Dick and Shakespeare) $120 Year Round: All 9 events $100 The 5 Show Summer Full Length: $70 Special 30th year deal: "3 for $30" = 3 events for $30 restrictions do apply. only one per person per season) Good for any combination of full length, cabaret, alumni event, etc but just three events. The line-up is An adaptation of Jungle Book Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice Constance Cogdon's adaptation of The Imaginery Invalid Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff A return engagement of Orson's Welle's Moby Dick Rehearsed A return engagement of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) One Night Only "Pendragon Alumni" staged reading on July 17, 2010 with reception Cabaret Evenings - so