Adirondack Family Time™

We only have five maple trees on our property and each year we produce two gallons of maple syrup, just enough for our family's consumption. Making maple syrup is a rewarding experience for children and families. It is a wild foraged food source that does take a lot of time, but is always worth the effort! • Can syrup be made from any sap out of any tree?  Well, it depends on what you want to use the syrup for. If you want something to sweeten your morning pancakes then maple trees have the highest content of sugar. Syrup has also been made from birch trees,  • How do you get the sap out of the tree?  A person has to drill a hole into the tree and tap in a spiel, a small peg that will let the sap drip out. A bucket or jar is also attached to the tree to catch the drips of sap. 

Bald Eagles can be seen in the Adirondacks, Alaska, and every state but Hawaii. If you take your kids out in the Adirondacks and see a bald eagle, please remind your kids not to interfere, just observe! If you are out on a walk or hike near a Adirondack pond or lake, you may just come across a bald eagle. Below are some fun facts to share!

Ebony Jewelwing Adirondacks For Kids: Be a Bug Detective while you are playing outside or along a nature hike and look for this damselfly known for its bright body and black wings. It can be seen buzzing about usually during the summer months of July and August.  The Ebony Jewelwing is a type of damselfly. This bug eats large quantities of aphids, flies, mosquitos and other insects! Just the type of outdoor friend we like to have. Not only is this little creature beautiful but very helpful.  That said, it also is a meal for birds, dragonflies and bats. Well, we all can't be at the top of the food chain. 

Okay, not really a fly but still trapped in a web. Here nature is at work right on the side of our house. We didn't even need to visit a mountain or trail to see nature at work. My son's only comment, "Wow!" Just waiting for a meal This insect struggles to free itself from the web The spider just patiently waits for the insect to tire out Breakfast, lunch and dinner Fast and efficient There you have it. Just another day in the lives of kids in the Adirondacks.

By Diane Chase The Adirondack spring snow was unexpected. It doesn't matter if it happens every spring, I still do not expect it. I pack my children's boots away hoping that the mere act of getting the winter gear out of site will render them out of season. Well, that plan didn't work for me so back we loaded on the layers, made snow blobs (it would be too generous to call them men, women or children) and had a snow ball fight. It may not snowed lemons but we made lemonade just the same. This Saturday is May Day. If you want to resurrect the old fashioned tradition of a May Day basket, check out these tips. Also a reminder that the Wild Center reopens on May 1st after a month of putting on a new spring face! The theme of events this weekend seems to be all about recycling and reusing as everyone from town-wide rummage sales to library sales are on the docket. This weekend is supposed to be back to warm weather but we'll keep our jackets handy. Enjoy the weekly line-u