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Showing posts with the label Trivia

Why you won’t see a paper poppy craft for Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day on Adirondack Family Time

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I’m all for a good craft. My bathroom shelves and corners of every room in my house are filled with scraps of paper, string, and other tidbits waiting to be transformed into a fun afterschool activity. The one thing you won’t find on my website is a craft for a paper poppy for Remembrance Day, Veteran's Day or Memorial Day.  The paper poppy as a symbol for Memorial Day and Veteran's Day is sacred. In my opinion it shouldn’t be lumped into the same type of holiday craft madness as  Valentine’s Day  or  Christmas  (Oh, I have crafts here.   I like cutting and folding paper with the best of you. I like recycling, reusing, and repurposing.) There are so many blogs and websites posting crafts on how to honor veterans by making a paper poppy. I don’t mean to disparage those websites. I feel that the crafter's heart is in the right place. I just feel that the focus is off.  By making your own paper poppy, you aren’t able to connect a child or family member to the

Fall/Autumn Fun Facts: Apple Fruit Trivia Questions

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Where to pick apples in the Adirondacks? Click here! Apple Facts and Trivia Questions: Did you know apples are called pome fruits? They are part of the sub-family Pomoideae (pom-oy-dee-ee) that has a core made up of an ovary (the seeds) surrounded by an enlarged hypanthium (a cup shaped, tube structure)   • What type of plant do apples grow on?  • How many apples does it take to make one gallon of apple cider? • What is the difference between apple cider and apple juice? •  How old does an apple tree have to be before it starts bearing fruit? • Apples are a member of the rose family. What other fruits are part of the rose family? • Apple vary in shade from what three colors?  • How many varieties of apples are grown in the United States? • By what other name was the pioneer nurseryman John Chapman known by and why? Click the link for the answers

Adirondack History: Adirondack High Peaks (46er) list with Mountain Name and Elevation

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As you requested! Here is a list of all the Adirondack High Peaks (plus McNaughton which is 4,000' but not considered part of the 46 High Peaks) I will have Adirondack Fun Facts about each mountain so keep checking back. If you have other suggestions, please sending them in and I will do my best to get the information here as quickly as possible. Thanks for letting me know. A patch is given as well as an assigned number, though many people do choose not to register. Climbing all 46 High Peaks is not distinguished by the registration, but by the accomplishment. The Adirondack Forty-Sixers is more than just a place to register hikes, the service and hiking organization encourages and educates its membership on conservation and preservation of the wildness of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.

June 14 is Flag Day

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United States of America Flag Facts 1) On June 14,1777 the US  Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the national flag 2) 1912:  President William Taft issued an executive order dictating the proportions for the flag and placement of the stars. Before that it was left up to the flag maker. 3) 1916: President Woodrow Wilson issued the proclamation establishing June 14 as Flag Day, though it is not a federal holiday many states do celebrate it as a state holiday. 4)  Betsy Ross, credited with sewing the nation’s first flag, was an upholsterer not a seamstress  5)  The U.S. flag has been changed 27 times since 1777. The 50-star flag used today was created in July 4, 1960 when Hawaii became the 50th state. That version has been used the longest.  6) 1949: President Harry Truman signed into law June 14 as national Flag Day. © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series.   Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide

Adirondack New Year: "Auld Lang Syne" Lyrics and History

Auld Lang Syne is one of the most popular songs that nobody really knows the lyrics to. "Auld Lang Syne" literally translates as "old long since" and means "times gone by." Below are the lyrics with a bit of a translation for what I felt were the tricky parts. Happy New Year! "Auld Lang Syne" Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne. CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne! And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp, And surely I'll be mine, And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet, For auld lang syne! We twa hae run about the braes, (run about the hills) And pou'd the gowans fine, (and pulled up the daisies) But we've wander'd monie a weary fit, Sin auld lang syne. We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, (paddled in the stream) Frae morning sun till dine, (from morning to

HIking with Kids Trail Trivia: Look For This Tree: Tamarack

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Look for This Tree!  It is the only deciduous   conifer *   It's needles will turn yellow in autumn. This tree is mostly found in swampy places

Adirondack for Kids: Be A Nature Detective Cricket vs. Grasshopper

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By Diane Chase My children can spend hours scouring the countryside for grasshoppers... or are they crickets? Well, it would depend on what time of the day it is. Here are just a few quick facts to help tell the difference.

Adirondack Wildflowers: Red Baneberry

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Red Baneberry can be founded in wooded areas and thrives in full shade Plant is 1'-2' height White flowers that flower from May - June Berries start to form and show in July - August WARNING: Berries are poisonous © Diane Chase, author of  Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)  available  online  or bookstores/museums July 2011. Diane is currently working on the second guidebook in the proposed four book series of Adirondack Family Activities.

Adirondack Trivia: Where was Adirondack Chair Invented?

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Where was the Adirondack Chair invented?  Westport NY resident, Thomas Lee  invented a porch chair to house his large group of guest, friends and relatives. He used one plank of hemlock to design a chair with a slanted back and wide arm rests to  hold drinks and food.    Though invented by Thomas Lee, it was Harry C. Bunnell a local Westport NY woodworker that began producing the chairs at his Westport shop.  Bunnell received a patent July 18, 1905 with the   "object of this invention is a chair of the bungalow type adapted for use on porches, lawns, at camps and also adapted to be converted into an invalid's chair. " The major difference between the modern Adirondack Chair and the Westport Chair is the Adirondack Chair has a slated back while the Westport Chair uses one piece of wood. 

Adirondack For Kids: Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol Trivia

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By Diane Chase Did you know? Charles Dickens • Charles Dickens was born in 1812 • At 12 he was forced to leave school and work in a factory to help get his family out of debt. • He is considered a Victorian author because he wrote during the Victorian era • He was the most popular writer of his time • Dickens began his writing career as a journalist • He wrote plays, journals, travel books, and weekly periodical called Household Words and All Year Round as well as numerous novels • He also traveled to the United States to speak against slavery • He had ten children with his wife, Catherine • Dickens wrote five Christmas books but A Christmas Carol is the most popular. • He died before his last book, The Mystery of Edwin Drood was completed • He used his writing to highlight poor working conditions and the atrocities of child labor • The characters from his books were inspired by real people from his life Like the character Mr. Micawber in David Copperfield, Dicken

Lake Placid for kids: Fun Trivia Facts: John Brown's Farm

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The entrance to John Brown Gravesite   John Brown's Farm in Lake Placid, NY • 244-acre historic grave site of militant abolitionist John Brown • " John Brown's Body Lies A-Mouldering in the Grave"  song lyrics   • John Brown moved to North Elba after hearing about the work Gerrit Smith was doing providing land to freed African-Americans.  Statue of John Brown • Gerrit Smith differed from John Brown in one significant way, he was a pacifist.  • Gerrit Smith sold a parcel of his property to Brown.  At that time Smith was selling land to free African-Americans for $1/acre. * Brown acted as a mentor/teacher to these free men but had a frustrating experience trying to farm the land around Lake Placid. John Brown Farmhouse •  John Brown and 21 followers (5 of whom were African-American) seized the armory at Harpers Ferry,VA (in what is now West Virginia) in hopes to capture arms to aid in their quest to end slavery. At

Lake Placid for Kids: Fun Facts for hiking Mt Jo

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By Diane Chase Adirondack Family Time Fun Facts: • Mt Jo was originally named “The Bear” • It was renamed Mt. Jo in 1877 to honor Josephine Schofield, fiancée of Henry Van Hoevenberg. • Josephine Schofield helped choose the site for the Loj but died within the year, never living long enough to see their plans built • Van Hoevenberg bought 640 acres and Mt Jo as a memorial to his fiancée • Henry Van Hoevenberg built the original Adirondack Loj and some of the trails to the surrounding High Peaks. • Mt Jo’s elevation is 2,876 ft with an ascent of 700’. • Heart Lake was originally named Clear Pond. • At the time Adirondack Lodge (now Loj) was built it was the largest log structure in the world. • Melville Dewey, of the Dewey Decimal System, was an advocate for simplified spelling and a member of the Lake Placid Club, one-time owners of the Adirondack Loj.

Trivia: What three children's songs have the same tune?

You hear these songs all the time. They are some of the first songs your child will learn and it's not "Wheels on the Bus."  Answer is here 

Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol"

The only manuscript known to exist from Charles Dicken's 1843 tale A Christmas Carol has been digitized. The original is housed in the Morgan Library and Museum in Manhattan. Readers unable to attend the showing of the original manuscript (through January 10) are able to flip from the handwritten version to the typed via a high resolution scan made possible by the New York Times . Read more

Hiking with kids: Adirondack Family Time Tips

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Hiking with children does not have to be complicated. Below are a few tips to help you on your way. Check back as I am will be adding tricks as I learn them from my own children! Always remember the point is to have our children enjoy the outdoors. Learn from them and take our time. Sometimes the goal doesn't have to be getting to the top, its the journey along the way! Before you go! • Always check your gear before departing. • Dress in layers for the season. • Make sure you bring plenty of water for each person • Bring healthy snacks like GORP, granola bars, fresh or dried fruit • A first aid kit, flashlight and compass. • Be prepared to stop frequently. Autumn Hikes: • Bring rain gear no matter the weather. It can serve as a wind shield on top • Although trails are clearly marked, it is always best to carry a detailed map. • Hiking in late autumn can be tricky. Leaves can be wet and slippery and it is not unusual to experience small patches of ice. • Wear