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An Easy Adirondack Walk and Views of Lake Champlain at the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse

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By Diane Chase 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 are explores searching for new lands. We may not discover unchartered 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.

Bark Eater Trail Alliance Joins with Adirondack Ski Touring Council

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Spring Fever: Eight (8) Days of Nature Activities

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By Diane Chase During a change of season I am always a bit overwhelmed whether its a new school year, Christmas shopping and all those twinkle lights or springtime mud. Everyone needs to get outside so here are 8 days of nature activities to do with your family to clear your head, no matter what environment you live in. Day One:  Look at the sky. Simple you say but how many times do you work in an office all day, commute to your job, sit in your car, play outside but never look up at the sky. Take a look. What do you see? Stars? Clouds? A jet? My daughter saw a magic carpet and a mermaid. Yes, together. Day Two: Look down, get on your knees down low and look at the ground. Look past the concrete and other stuff and try to find the earth.  Yesterday you looked up and today you look down. That is what children look at all the time, whether they are just learning to walk or running around. Get down low today and see what you have been walking on all this time.

Craft: May Day Paper Cone and Traditions

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Happy May Day! Craft:  Make A May Day Basket: The tradition is for children to place a simple bouquet of flowers on the door of a friend or neighbor. What I enjoy is it gives children a chance to surprise adults and do something kind without costing a penny.  The "basket" can be as simple as a used tin can or glass jar with wire or twine for hanging.  The kids can go outside and fill the jar with lovely spring flowers. If you aren't in an area with fresh flowers about, make some tissue flowers for everyone to enjoy!  History: There are many traditions surrounding the first of May. Beltane was the name given to this time, on the Celtic calendar.  The name originates from the Celtic god,  Bel  - the 'bright one', and the Gaelic word 'teine' meaning fire, hence the name 'bealttainn', meaning 'bright fire'. May Day is the beginning of the 'lighted half' of the year when the Sun begins to set later in the evening

A Happy B'Earth Day Cake

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HAPPY EARTH DAY! This is my daughter's favorite cake to make. It doubles as an Earth Day/Birthday celebration. If anyone is interested in making it, what I did was quite simple. 1) Make your favorite cake recipe. I used the one-bowl chocolate cake from Craig Claibourne's New York Times Cookbook . You have to make two batches for each half of the globe. 2) Find two bowls of the same diameter. Oil and flour the insides of both. 3) Cook as directed and when finished cool and use a spatula to pop the cakes out of the bowls. 4) Frost. I made a no-cook butter cream frosting. Frost the two halves together forming the globe. 5) Put a light coating of blue-dyed frosting over the sides leaving a small area on top for the polar ice caps.* 6) Lastly use a globe as a guide, with a different color frosting "paint" on your continents. 7) Go for a run. That butter cream frosting is just that, butter. *I couldn't find my blue dye and berries made the "world" too pu

Saratoga Museum Poster Contest for Kids

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C alling All Kids pre-school through Grade 2 For the Children's Museum at Saratoga's  Annual Big Truck Day Poster Contest Contest Rules: Open to children pre-school through Grade 2. Design the poster at the museum's own Creation Station art room, at school, or at home. Submissions must be on white paper between 8.5 x 11 and 11 x 17. Please include child's name, school grade, name of school, & contact info (address & phone number) on the back of your submission. Deliver submissions to The Children's Museum by  Tuesday, May 19th, 2015 . Prize Package: The winner will have their design featured on all promotional materials  and will receive a prize package including:   A $50 gift certificate to G.Williker's!  FREE tickets (2 adults and 3 children) to the Big Truck Day Event! And more to come! Big Truck Day is always held the first Saturday in August. This year Big Truck Day will be held August 1, 10 am - 2 pm   at the Ma

Easy Short Lake Placid (NY) Hikes: Cherrypatch Pond Springtime Snowshoe - Wilmington NY

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  One minute it feels like we have so much snow and the next moment it seems to all melt away. It is this tricky time of year that we have to choose our wooded walks with care. There is plenty of snow still hidden among the trees when we make a quick stop to take in the beautiful view from Big Cherrypatch Pond.   I’ve only ever noticed the sign for Cherrypatch Pond heading west toward Lake Placid from Whiteface Mountain. Little and Big Cherrypatch ponds bookmark Rt. 86 and we’ve never given the ponds their due. With only a passing glance from our vehicle, the ponds always seem more marshland than open water. The trail to Big Cherry Patch pond starts on the south side of Rt. 86 with its outflow crossing beneath the road to the northern Little Cherrypatch Pond. We park at the small designating area and make our way over the remaining snow bank. The whole hike is less than ½-mile round-trip, but since we are searching for signs of spring, we plan on taking our time.