Tandem

Tantrum ...



Triumph.

Spring needs to pay up ...

Because it's overdue.

If Spring were a library book it would owe at least five bucks.

And if it were a DVD?

Spring would have owned it by now.

Space cadet ...

That would be me for agreeing to host a "Space Craft Camp" tomorrow for Ittybit's second grade class.






I suggested we eat Oreos and plant sunflowers, but she wants to create a play (including scenery) based on the old Schoolhouse Rock! song Interplanet Janet.

She's already staked out the role of Janet and her brother wants to be Pluto.

This should be good.

We did manage to use the colors Red, White and Blue

We may have been the only people in North America who celebrated Independence Day by marching in The Peoples' Parade with a Chinese Dragon.

In our defense, however, our dragon was made in America.

Two things ...

No. 1: The Museum of Firefighting in Hudson might be the most exciting place for children to visit outside of the North Pole. Especially on Dalmatian Day, which, in my humble estimation, is Christmas in October.

No. 2: Give a three-year-old boy a plastic fireman, tie a string around it, and he may never need another toy. Ever.

I 'heart' weekends

We may not get to do any of this stuff. ... But I "heart" that it is swimming around out there.

I 'Heart' Freaks and Geeks

The first 50 freaks folks to pre-register will get to participate in the third annual Polar Plunge at 1 p.m. Saturday in Long Pond at Grafton Lakes State Park. The event is part of the 25th annual Winter Fest, and proceeds will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The fee is $20 and includes a t–shirt and hot beverage for those who brave the icy waters. For more information on the Polar Plunge, call Margaret Phillips of the East Greenbush Master Swimmers’ Club at 479-3739 evenings, 577-5434 days.

Grafton's Winter Fest starts at 5 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m. and features a host of outdoor activities including cross country skiing, snow sculpture contest, art exhibit, food, children's activities and more. $2 per person, $5 per family. For more information on Winter Fest, call 279-1155.



I 'Heart' Ye Old Target

Back in the 1700s school kids couldn’t just walk into their neighborhood Target store and purchase 3-D glow-in-the-dark Hannah Montana Valentine’s Day cards … Ya know? No, back in The Day sprogs would show their love and affection with gifts they made by hand.

So in keeping with traditions of yor, the folks at the Columbia County Historical Society will host a timely valentines’ themed workshop for children ages 6 to 10 at the James Vanderpool House, 16 Broad Street, Kinderhook. Children will make valentines and small bouquets called “tussy mussies.” That name alone is reason enough to show up and pay the $5 fee for a single child, $10 for families. Historical society members can titter away for free.

Reservations are recommended. Contact Ashley-Hopkins Benton at 758-9265 or e-mail educator@cchsny.org



I 'Heart' Community Radio

Sorted, a fully solar-powered graphic design studio at 357 Warren Street in Hudson, will be the location of a special artisan fair from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, to benefit WGXC, a 3,000-watt community radio station hoping to launch its signal on 90.7 FM.

Goods made by local artisans will include ceramics, photography, books, jewelry, beeswax candles, leather accessories, knitted wear, tabletop design and other multiples and one-of-a-kind objects. Proceeds from the sale will help the radio station buy necessary equipment for the endeavor. The day-long event also features organic coffee, and sound performances by Hans Tammen.

Admission is free. For more information, call 622-2598 or e-mail tom@wgxc.org … visit online at WGXC



I 'Heart' Peeking in Candy Houses

What better way to celebrate the love of a good family than to sit in the dark and watch the horrifyingly dysfunctional exploits of another? It's good, wholesome family fun, I tell you. So, just after Valentine's Day, Berkshire Theatre Festival PLAYS! presents "Hansel and Gretel" at the Berkshire Museum 11 a.m. February 15 through 20. $15 for adults ($7 members) $8 for children, ages 3-18, ($5 for members). Ticket price includes museum admission.



I 'Heart' Kids with Cameras

Get bigger kids out from in front of the television during February break and put them behind a video camera. Berkshire Museum is hosting a week-long Movie Camp for aspiring young filmmakers Feb. 15 through 20. The day-long camp (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) will have them doing everything from penciling the plot to popping the popcorn. Geared for grades three through six, participants write scripts, make costumes, operate camera as well as act the parts. The session culminates with a movie premiere of the finished film for family and friends. Fee is $225 ($195 members) and each camper gets a DVD of the film to watch again and again. For more information call the Berkshire Museum at 413-443-7171.



I 'Heart' Careening Down a Mountain at Night for the Price of Gliding Across a Field During the Day

Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Mass. is offering $15 twiglight skiing with an e-coupon from 3 to 10 p.m. Feb. 8, 9 and 10. The regular price is $40. To print a coupon and see other deals, visit Jiminy Peak

A girl's gotta have dreams

There's a guy in our town who makes the most incredible snowmen ... well, they're snow sculptures really. He started making them a few years ago on the front lawn of his bed and breakfast.

This year they seemed to have left his lawn and moseyed on through town showing up in the village square, on the bank lawn, even on several properties where For Sale signs have been posted.

Cats, rabbits, lions, dogs, dragons ... we're always amazed by what he creates out of piles of frozen precipitation.

We built a snowman a few weeks back. But because the snow was only a couple inches deep, our snowman's body was breaded in dirt, mulched leaves and pine needles that had been sprinkled liberally all over the lawn. We topped it with spiky hair made with the help of brick forms.

Even the kids thought it was pitiful.

Two days ago, however, our pathetic snowman -- who seemed to have gotten dirtier as the days of its life wore on -- fell over and now looks like a lonely old drunk after a three-week binge.

The kids were thrilled.

Only their thrilled sounded slightly similar to horror.

ITTYBIT & THE CHAMP: "OH! The snowman fell over! The NO-MAN FELL OBER!!!"

MOMMY: "Don't worry, we can build another ... I hear there's snow in the forecast."

ITTYBIT: "Oh ... We don't have to build another one, Mommy," Ittybit explained. "Pretty soon the snowman man will get to our house, I just know it."

And no matter what I say to the contrary, she just goes on believing. A girl's got to have dreams.

STUFF TO DO * STUFF TO DO * STUFF TO DO * STUFF TO DO*

EAT, DRINK AND BE MARY (QUEEN OF SCOTS)

Peint O Gwrw Pub is having its annual Foods Based on a Dare night. … That’s NOT what it’s called but that’s what it amounts to as the Scottish-style pub in the heart of Chatham raises a toast to the bard Robert Burns tonight (Friday, Jan. 22) from 7 to 11 p.m. Revelers will be treated to haggis, blood pudding and a shot of Scotch on the house whether their wearing plaid or not. King of the Forrest will entertain. Call 392-BEER for more information.

SOUP’S ON

The Kinderhook Elks Lodge and Eat for a Cause will co-host a “Soup Line” on Saturday, Jan. 23, from noon to 3 p.m. to benefit local food pantries. Soups by local soup aficionados will be offered and judged. Admission is $5 plus $10 worth of donated food items. Those wishing to make and donate soup for the event are invited to call 392-5723. Soups can be prepared on premises at the lodge.

Eagle Mills Christian Church, 500 Brunswick Road, Corner of Rt. 2 Maple Avenue, Troy, is hosting a clam chowder dinner on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. Who could say no to creamy, clammy goodness served corn bread, salad and biscuits? Ok, maybe the lactose intolerant, but the church has you covered with Manhattan-style as well as New England chowders. Cost is $8 per person eat in or take out. For more information, call 279-1588.

GET YOUR GAME ON

The Schenectady Museum and Planetarium has the perfect thing for the 10-year-old computer geek in all of us: A special workshop on computer game development presented by area game makers, Vicarious Visions, the creators of Guitar Hero III, Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, Transformers Autobots and more. Game designers will lead one hour-long workshops from 12:30 to 3:30 on Saturday, featuring game tuning and tweaking values, elements designers use to make a game feel right. For ages 10 and up. Space is limited so register in advance by calling 382.7890 x 224. Fees are $10 for members, $15 for non members.

Younger geeks might like the workshop The Children’s Museum of Science and Technology has going on this Saturday: The Chemistry of Toys. Participants will make their own form of Silly Putty, GAK and more as they explore the science behind playthings. Recommended for ages 5 and up, the workshop is free for members, and $2 for non-members plus museum admission.

GETTING OUT

The Annual Winter Festival at Grafton Lakes State Park gets underway before the crack of dawn Saturday. Pry yourself out of bed, grab some coffee and go ice fishing; contest begins at 5 a.m. Normal family activities, including kids’ contests, interactive displays, live native animals and sleigh rides begin at a respectable 11 a.m. and run through 4 p.m. Free.

Clermont State Historic Site will host its annual sledding party (safety sleds only) on Jan. 24 from noon to 3 p.m. Events include bonfire, snowman contest and refreshments. $2 per person. (Snow date for this event is Feb. 7.)


ACTING OUT

Time and Space Limited, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, will host a two-day film acting workshop hosted by acclaimed casting director Aleta Chappelle on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days.
Chappelle has cast numerous film and television productions, working with Francis Ford Coppola and Martha Coolidge, among others. Work sessions will cover audition technique, cold reading technique, improvisation and "On Camera" acting technique. The workshop is open to seriously interested teens, young adults and adults. The full $60 workshop fee must be paid in advance. For more information, contact fyi@timeandspace.org

Spirit of the season is what you make of it

By now I thought I'd be a seething mass of rage about public eduction.

I thought I'd be one of the parents beating down the door at Kindergarten demanding to know exactly what was behind the thought process of making kids color trees realistically instead of imaginatively.

I expected to roll my eyes every time some piece of paper made its way home that asked us to buy-bring-donate something toward the mission of establishing school spirit.

I didn't expect to find it all so charming. I didn't expect to love how the teachers talk to the kids, or get their attention, or encourage their participation.

I also didn't think I'd actually want my kid to wear pajamas to school when she would rather not.

But. Here were are. Spirit day.




Now ... back to a little eye-rolling.


All hale the spirit of the season: Profits

Bah humbug.
Before the last of the Halloween spiders were summarily swept from store shelves, shopkeepers dusted their stock with the downy flake of polystyrene snow. JCPenney trademarks "Joy of Giving," and economists are wringing their hands, predicting a sad year for retailers, as shoppers vow to live within their means.

Can anyone really blame us for wanting to rain a little on the retailers’ parade?
This Saturday why not help the Nimbostratus clouds open up by attending the Buy Local Bash from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Troy Atrium, 297 River St.

The bi-annual vendor fair features 50 businesses from Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties including food producers, potters, jewelers, clothiers, health services and more. North Country acoustic duo Eddy and Kim Lawrence will perform live music. A $10 donation is suggested.

Why not rewrap last year’s toys?

Take the kids to the Albany Institute of History and Art’s 100th Anniversary celebration of the Albany mummies, featuring a talk by Egyptogist Peter Lacovara this Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

In addition to new exhibits and lectures, there will be plenty of hands-on, art-making opportunities for the kids. Children are also encouraged to bring toys from home to recreate the mummification process in the museum studio.

Lacovara, senior curator at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emerson University, will speak at 2 p.m. He will lead a discussion about the mummy Ankenfenmut, his coffin and the connections the Capital Region has with ancient Egypt.

The event is included with paid admission, $10 for adults $8 students, seniors $6, children under 12 children younger than 6, free.

Upcoming:

Thanksgiving weekend is being heralded by AIH&A with a series of free events beginning Friday, Nov. 27 and running through Sunday, Nov. 29.

Come see the new exhibits during this admission-free weekend. There will also be special events on each of the three days.

On Friday from noon to 4 p.m. drop in to the art studio and create a 12-inch texture tile there will be storytelling from 1 to 3 p.m. by museum educators and docents and a lecture at 2 p.m. by award-winning author James Bruchac, about Native American storytelling.

At 2 p.m. on Saturday there will be a musical performance and book signing with Hudson Talbott. Students from the region will perform selections of his book "River of Dreams," an adapted story of the Hudson River that tells its history through song.

From noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, learn about fresh water fish and create "gyotaku" – an 18th century Japanese art form that combines fish and printmaking. It appears the museum will be using three-dimensional models instead of fresh fish.

Don’t miss a special performance by fifth graders at Giffen Memorial Elementary School, who will perform a hip-hop composition under the direction of teacher Jeremy Dudley. Dudley (also known as Origin) has been teaching at Giffen for nine years, and is a three-time winner of the Best Hip-Hop Artist in the annual Metroland readers’ poll. The students' piece recognizes AIH&A’s exhibition: Hudson River Panorama, 400 Years of History, Art and Culture and the 400th anniversary of the river’s exploration.

Get a jump on The Creep this weekend

creepy , originally uploaded by toyfoto.

HALLOWEEN IS MY THING!

You guys know I’m all about the scary, right?

Well. … Kind of. ...

(Skip down the last entry for the event of the season my scare-dy-cat, watches-frightful-movies-from-the-kitchen-through-the safety-of-my-hands’-covered-face won’t be attending thankyouverymuch).

But still, I just love the costumes and the candy and the little boys and ghouls ringing my door bell to wrench the M&Ms and Almond Joys from my greedy, gluttonous fingers.

So I’m excited to return to the weekend report with a little SPIRIT OF THE SEASON …

WHY NOT GET LOST? at Kettle Farms in Hoosick Falls for a few hours this or any weekend through Nov. 8. Those who find their way out of the farms’ 22-acre, professionally designed corn maze can take part in other silly (if-not appropriately themed) seasonal events including contests, pumpkin picking, firing off a corn cannon or a pumpkin slingshot. For added excitement, take a flashlight tour of the maze, offered on Friday and Saturday nights in October until 10 p.m.

And if you haven’t decided what’s going on the family holiday card this year, check out the farm’s new overlook bridge, where you can get a bird’s eye view of the maze and have your picture taken.

Admission is $9 for adults (ages 12 and older), $7 for kids (4 to 11) and free for tots under three. Trick or Treaters can visit in costume on Halloween and receive $1 off admission to the maze. A masquerade parade and costume contest are planned.

Tammy’s Candy Kettle Restaurant will also offer a menu selection of fall favorites, including fresh apple cider, corn chowder and roasted sweet corn. There’s sadly no Web site (hint-to-the-HINT) but you can call Tammy at 686-0992 to get the low down.


KNICK AT NIGHT: Knickerbocker Mansion, 132 Knickerbocker Road, Schaghticoke, is giving evening tours of the mansion from 6 to 9 tonight and tomorrow night, with particular focus paid to ghosts of the mansion’s past. Souper Supper is also available. Tour is $5, $6 for soup, served throughout the evening. Visit www.knickmansion.com for more information.

TRICK OR TREAT, OWL: SMELL MY FEET, RABBIT: Grafton Lakes State Park is hosting a "trick or treat" evening nature walk tonight at dusk. Call 279-1155 if you dare (or don’t have a reservation). Free.

POPCORN AND SCREAMS: The Troy Public Library, 100 Second St., will show "Coraline," Saturday at 2 p.m. Moviegoers under seven years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Refreshments will be served. Free.

HAUNTED HOUSE: COARC, Greenport Rescue Squad and the Hudson Department of Youth host the ninth annual Operation Pumpkin haunted house at COARC’s Promenade Hill Center, 11 Warren St., Hudson on Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. The event features a haunted alley, Dracula’s pub, a mad scientist’s laboratory, the dungeon, a spiders’ den and other breath-catching surprises.

The Pumpkin Patch offers more tame excitements for little ghosts and goblins. A costume contest for the cutest, funniest, scariest, prettiest and most original costumes will be held. Judging of the costumes begins at 6:15 p.m. Popcorn, cookies, candy and cider will be served.

Best of all … it’s free. Mmmmmmwaaaaahhhh ah ah! Call 672-4451 or visit www.coarc.org for more information.

MMWAHHHAAA AAA … MORE FRIGHTS TO COME ….

DO ZOMBIES RUN? Find out on Halloween when Troy Family YWCA hosts its Annual Monster Madness Dash - 5K on Saturday, Oct. 31 starting at 9 a.m. Costumes are highly encouraged. The course leads participants through Frear Park. A Kids Fun Run will step off at 9:45 a.m. Fees are $30, $20 for registrations postmarked by Oct. 29. The kids’ race is free. Proceeds benefit the Y’s annual youth campaign. Registration forms available for download at www.cdymca.org

GHOSTS HAVE CULTURE, TOO: St. Paul’s Church in Troy and the American Guild of Organists (Eastern NY Chapter) are hosting an afternoon of creepy music, scary stories and goulish marches for little goblins of all ages from noon to 2 p.m. on Halloween. Call 273-7351 to attend.

FRIGHT NIGHT: What better way to spend all-hallows eve eve but skulking around a funeral parlor? On Friday, Oct. 30, Wenk Funeral Home on Payne Avenue in Chatham will come alive with the undead in what is sure to be the scariest event of the season. Not for the squeamish, though, the haunted house is not recommended for children under 12. Admission is $5 and proceeds will. benefit the Chatham High Drama Club, Junior Class and the Northern Columbia County Rotary Club. For more information, visit nccrhauntedhouse

I'm pretty sure I have the plague ...

Or a garden-variety cold.

Meh.

I'm probably going to bundle myself up this weekend and plant myself in the middle of the driveway ... right about where that pretty blue bin is sitting now ... and egg the kids on as they chase each other up and down on their Plasmacars.

If I have any bursts of energy, we may hit up one of these events:

Five Rivers Environmental Center, 56 Game Farm Road in Delmar is hosting its Fall Festival Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Center naturalists have planned a bunch of fun family activities including guided hikes, hands-on crafts for kids and plant and book sales. Refreshments will also be available. Free. Call 475-0295 for more information.

The Brunswick Community Library is hosting the grand opening of its new facility, located at 4118 Brunswick Road from 10 a.m. to 4. p.m. Saturday. Festivities included stories and crafts for kids, readings and book signings with local authors, food and entertainment as well as a family sing-a-long with Ruth Pelham of the Music Mobile at 1 p.m. for more information, check out the Web site at www.brunswicklibrary.org

Grafton Lakes State Park on Sunday is hosting the 23rd annual Barge Chaser Canoe and Kayak Race. Registration is at 10 a.m. at the Beach Nature Center. Race will begin at 11 a.m. Paddlers of all skills levels are welcome to participate. Two races will be held, a 2.5 mile sprint and a 7 mile paddle and portage. The event is sponsored by Northern New York Paddlers, and participants are encouraged to bring a potluck dish to share.
For more information, call 343-8133.

Whatcha doin?

It’s safe to say that we make pilgrimages to see the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus perform. Their variety act certainly earns its vaudevillanous reputation.
Ringmistress Philomena, a tattooed wonder of grace and athleticism (not to mention prominently listed on Jed’s laminated card *cough-ahem-cough*) leads a troupe of world-class entertainers from the bizarre to the prophetic.
Of course the last time we went to see their show we ended up donating a pint of blood to the mosquitoes as we spread out on a blanket on a local historic lawn. We also felt the need to leave the performance at intermission declaring the blood sucking parasites the winner of this round.

This shouldn’t be a problem on Sunday when The Bindlestiffs perform from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Arts Center of the Columbia-Greene Community College, 1.3 miles east of The Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Hudson.

In addition to Philomena’s brilliant and bawdy physical comedy (down boy, it’s toned down for family audiences) the show will also feature Magic Brian, aerialist Harvest Moon, Juggling by Paris the Harlem Wonder, and Kinko the Clown. Live music by El Mystico, Francisco Monroy is also planned.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students. I’m telling you, it’s cheap at twice the price. For Tickets and information, call: 518-828-4181 extension 3344

LARK FEST …
The hippest street in Downtown Albany closes off to traffic Saturday and opens up to the visual arts, music, poetry, magic acts, dancing and scores of flavorful food vendors. Events get underway at 10:30 and go to 5:30 p.m.
Look for eba’s "The Family Creative Zone," featuring fun craft activities for all ages on upper Hudson Ave. from noon to 4 p.m.

OMG … CHOWDER!
Troy’s third annual Chowder Fest will have River Street awash in creamy-fishy-goodnes as 30 local restaurants participate. Chowders range from Seafood to Vegetable and Manhattan to New England. Ice sculptures, live music and refreshing libations. This year Chowderfest kicks off a week of events celebrating the quadracentennial of Henry Hudson’s navigation of the Hudson River. Bou-yah-baise!

OMG … SOUVKAKI!
Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Church kicks off its Souvlaki Fest 2009 on Friday. This year’s event starts on Friday with take-out lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; full service from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Menu includes chicken or pork Souvlaki & Gyro, Greek salad, Spanikopita, spinach pie, Tiropita, cheese pie, Loukoumathes (fried dough with honey), rice pudding, various Greek pastries. Phone orders accepted for pick up. Call 489-4442 for more information.

STAR GAZING
Grafton Lakes State Park will host a star watch with Albany-area astronomers Saturday evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. The tour of the night sky is free and will be held at the Deerfield Pavilion. Call 279-1193 for more information.

OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE DESTINED TO SAVE THE PLANET

Columbia County Farm Festival gets underway at Golden Harvest Farms, Route 9 in Valatie, Saturday at 10 a.m. The event features a chance to mix and mingle with local growers, as well as a good old-fashioned hoe-down with The Wickers Band and square dancing beginning at 3:30 p.m. While you’re at Golden Harvest, mosey on over to the distillery and check out how they make their chic-chic apple vodka, Core. It’s pretty interesting. $5 per car.

Not quite as sex-ay as tattooed circus stars and boutique vodka, but we all know recycling is the new black. Advanced Recycling Inc. will have its second electronics "take-back" event at the Rhinebeck Fairgrounds Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. all three days.

The first electronics recycling event collected 69,000 pounds of spent electronics from the Hudson Valley region, and organizers hope to collect 100,000 pounds at this event. Individuals can load their cars with broken TVs, computers, phones, stereos or whatever fresh batteries won’t cure. No pre-registration necessary; $10 per car. Businesses and schools will have to call ahead, however, and will have to pay based on inventory. For more information, call Laurie Rich at 845-876-6330.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Olana will host “Artlandish,” Sunday, Sept. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. In this workshop, visitors will create art in the landscape in the way Frederic Church himself created his Hudson River School masterpieces by sketching in the landscape and finishing in the studio. Paper, pencils and clipboards will be available at the Education Center for those venturing out into the landscape, and colored pencils, oil pastels and watercolors will be available upon your return. The workshop is free, put participants should be prepared to leave a photo ID at the center until art materials are returned.

Spike that

Well summer almost gone. I know this because the two local fairs I’ve attended over the years are in a neck-and-neck race to usher it out.

I’m thinking I’ll just take this whole weekend off so I can rest up for the dueling fairs' arrival next week. It's for the best. It'll give me a chance to practice my aim with pointy projectiles and to stretch my stomach so’s I can eat my weight in fried dough.

The Schaghticoke Fair, Routes 67 and 40 - Schaghticoke, starts Wednesday and runs through Labor Day. It’s the only fair I ever attended that boasted an amazing, ferocious, secretary-robot on the midway. I half expected her to geek a chicken. Ah … memories. Attractions include agriculture exhibits, music, entertainment, animals, rides, food, grandstand and stage shows. Motor coach parking available. Admission is $10, children 13 and under free. Week-long pass for admission is $30. Advance sale tickets at Price Chopper are $8 with advantage card. Visit www.schaghticokefair.com for schedules and events.

The Columbia Couty Fair, Routes 66 and 203 - Chatham, kicks off Wednesday and continues through Labor Day. I’ll never forget the year I entered my dog in a 4-H obedience show (I was 11) and some jokester from the livestock barns sicked his goat on my dog. Alls I’m saying is it was a good thing my dog was so well behaved. Fun, fun, fun. Attractions include Painted Rodeo, demolition derbies, monster truck pull. There’s plenty of rides and attractions for the kids including talent competitions and various food eating contests. If your kid has a thing for watermelon, this is the place to be at the tail’s end of summer. Tickets are $10 at the fair gate except on Sunday when tickets are $12. Advance sale tickets are available at local Price Chopper stores and will save you $2 for daily admissions and $4 on Sunday. Visit www.columbiafair.com for a complete listing of schedules and events.

Morning commute

humid morning, originally uploaded by toyfoto.

I sat behind the wheel at the crossing, car in park, waiting for the train to pass. The boy in the back seat was happily eating his breakfast and watching the morning's entertainment: A freight train.

I couldn't believe how humid it's been. The windshield had a thick film, compounded by the riewview mirror fogging over.

Should have gone another way, I think momentarily. We'll be late again. There are so many other roads we could have taken.

On days like this it pains me to find the negative so easily. I am quick to fret and worry over every decision, every delay, every misstep.

I look up. And through a fogged lens into toddler eyes, I see things more clearly:

"Train. Passing. Mom? Train? Chooo-choooooooooo! YAY!!!"



RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY ....

Get crafty
Mabee Farm Historic Site, 1080 Main Street (Route 5S), Rotterdam Junction is the site of and arts and crafts festival Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event features local handmade crafts pottery, wood crafting, folk art, jams, handwoven items, floor cloths, candles, jewelry, fine arts, painted furniture, artisan demonstrations, music and more. Admission is free. Food and boat rides on the Wofford along the Mohawk River are also available for a fee.

BUT IF YOU STAY, WE'LL FIND A WAY ....

Oh, go fly a kite!
Got wind? On Saturday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. build an indoor kite and learn what makes it fly at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium's FETCH! Lab. The FETCH Lab runs weekly, hands-on activities similar to the ones on the popular PBS television show. Free with museum admission. Visit www.schenectadymusuem.org for more information.

Simple pleasures

I’ve been in a shopping frenzy since mid July as I’ve run a thrice-weekly circuit between Home Depot and Target to procure items of questionable need as a response to the great Moving/Vacation/Going-to-Kindergarten Shop-o-rama Extravaganza!

I have bought a veritable dime store of ordinary things in the past six weeks: Storage containers, soap dishes, new caddies for a cluster of new cleaning products for under the kitchen sink; there were toothbrush holders and shower rods, curtains and hangers for bathrooms; and dish drainers, dish stackers and baskets for the kitchen cabinets.

Even in vacation the pesky purchasing persisted: I bought tubes and tubes of sun block, products for mosquito massacre and more toys and beach playthings than we had room in the car to return with.

Of course the school supplies put the non-dairy topping on the cake: Washable markers, Twistable crayons, hard-covered binders, oversized book bags and even a blanket for napping.

There is more – of everything – than any family of four could possibly need, so I’ll spare you the details. But as always, I just feel like an overdone chicken every time I spend money: Kind of crisp yet rubbery.

Isn't it strange how rarely things you are compelled to buy produce the satisfaction of simple pleasure? Things such as dropping a couple of bucks into a machine at the do-it-yourself car wash and vacuuming a car floor you haven’t seen for the detritus in three years just surprise you later with an unexpected satisfaction. You almost forget about the missing pocket change and the nine minutes of grunty-grubby work trying to snake that hose around to the backseat passanger side of your sedan until you slide into the vehicle at the end of the workday and are reminded by a clean carpet. You smile. It was the best two bucks you've spent in a long, long time.

A weekend of simple pleasures
There are few triggers in life that bring a person back to their childhood as weird as a pig roast. But there you have it … a succulent, whole pig turning on a spit does it to me every time.

When I was a kid my parents were close friends with some Irish folks –- not unlike ourselves -- but who raised pigs. Whenever one died as a result of an accident (usually the runt) they’d call all their friends and have a pig roast. It was quite a spectacle: I remember “The Third Man,” showing in the living room, William Kennedy holding court in the den, and a belly dancer, in full regalia, gyrating on the porch. Those days may be gone but pig roasts are still with us.

On Saturday at 1 p.m., the Tsatsawassa Protective Fire Company, serving Brainard, East Nassau and surrounding areas, will host its 21st annual pig roast at the firehouse grounds located off Routes 20 and 66. Refreshments, including hotdogs and hamburgers, start as 1 p.m. as firehouse staff roast the pig, which is served at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 5 to 12, and include food throughout the day. The event is the company’s major fundraiser for the year. A raffle for gift certificates from area merchants will also be held.

Tickets for the roast are still available, however you better get there early. For more information, call 766-3815.

Farm to table
If you’ve spent the summer pushing a wonky-wheeled cart through a super(air-cooled)market, why not get out this weekend and meet some of the people who actually make the food you eat? Farmer’s markets are pulling in their best produce now and every community seems to have one.

Troy Farmer’s Market in Riverfront Park is one of the best in the area, featuring more than 50 local farmers, bakers and artisans sell the freshest local vegetables, fruits, meats, breads, cheeses, baked goods and handmade goods, such as soaps, pottery and crafts. The even is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.


Under the stars
Handy Boys Enterprise in Millerton has established “A Night Under The Stars,” an outdoor movie shown on a large, inflatable screen, at 8:45 p.m. every Saturday night at Eddie Collins Ball Field, between Millerton and Irondale along Route 22. Saturday’s feature film is Madagascar 2. It's an easy and cheap night out. Just bring yourselves, a picnic and a blanket and lawn chairs. The stars (both literal and figurative) will be provided free.

It's about art and restoration ... and loud prints

Well folks, before I launch into the weekend survey of fun things to do with the kids (and without them), I should mention that next week we are off to Vacationland and all that entails. ... Usually sitting around my mother-in-law's abode trying to fend off Maine's state bird and driving each other UP THE WALL with innane inquiries such as: What do you want for dinner? What will the kids eat? Is it raining out? Are you going to the beach? Would you like ice cream? Are you planning to get off that couch at all this week?

Ah, vacation. Same angst, different scenery. ... Suffice to say, posts here are likely to be sparse, if at all.

Of course the house will be protected by super security system 2000, which will be fine against would-criminals but will leave us up sh*t creek without the proverbial implements of navigation if the roof caves in.



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WHAT TIME IS IT?
4:30? ... Almost time for Troy Night Out! The collar city is more than just court houses and crosswalks; it is also filled with arts and culture. Come out to Troy on the last Friday of any given month from 5 to 9 p.m. and see what you’ve been missing.


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THOSE TWO GUYS!
Dave Cox and Pat Ferri are presenting Comedy for the New Depression, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1 at Performance Space for the 21st Century (PS21) in Chatham. If you haven't seen Those TWO Guys in person you might not understand that CRAZY should be their middle name. Family fun for the whole family in a space not to be missed. $25 for adults; $7 for children under 14.

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OLANA, BOBANA, FE, FI, FOFANA, OLAAAANA
The Wagon House Education Center at Olana's historic farm complex still has spots left for its summer week-long programs:

THE JOURNEY, an outdoor exploration and arts program, runs Aug. 3 through Aug. 7. The fee per week is $165 per child ($125 for members of The Olana Partnership) and is geared for children ages 6 to 12, who will work in small groups at the Frederic Church estate as they journey to one of the locales visited by Church in the 19th century. Children will encounter art, music, history, poetry and nature as they explore the world of the landmark Hudson River School painter.

An Ice Cream Social for program participants and their families takes place the Sunday evening preceding the session.

RIVER SCHOOL, a dramatic arts program, runs Aug. 17 through Aug. 21. The fee per week is $140 per child ($100 for members of The Olana Partnership) and is geared for students ages 7-14, who will create their own play from soup-to-nuts in a non-competitive live theater program. This week-long "full process" experience will include creating original scripts, sets and props. Themes will explore living on a farm in the 1800s and jumping into a Hudson River School painting. A final performance is open to the public Friday, Aug. 21 at 11 a.m. at the Wagon House Education Center.

Call 828-1872, extension 110 for more information on week-long art camps or register online.

ART IN THE BARN, is sure to delight tots (3 to 5 years of age) and their caretakers every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Wagon House Education Center. The drop-in art studio is for youngsters who are just starting to dabble in their artistic genius. Using themes such as The Hudson River, architecture, art and nature and farm history for inspiration, center educators will help you and the kids get messy and explore different art including dance and storytelling. This program is free.


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UPCOMING:

AND THE PULIZER GOES TO ...

I have come to terms with the notion that the only Pulizer I will ever get will likely be a Lilly Pulizer - the colorful and flamboyantly printed designer clothes and accessories that redefined casual elegance, and has been a mainstay of the society set for the past 50 years.

Now, I may not have one fashionable bone in my body, but the dress that started Lilly on the road to a Jubilee celebration is something I can TOTALLY identify with because of its humble origins; it was made solely to hide juice stains. Slobs of the word unite!

Of course the pricetags -- between $150 and $500 for dresses -- make procurement on my part a matter of when I am able to stop uttering the phrase: "YOU JUST SPILLED JUICE ON ME AGAIN!" My guess? Five to 10 years at the earliest.

But that's beside the point, which is: Lilly Pulizer is celebrating 50 years in business with a series of events at The Pink Paddock Boutique in Saratoga Springs.

*On Aug. 7, a Lilly Pulitzer Traveling Retrospective of the designers vintage looks will take place at the Gideon Putnam Resort. Guests can shop the current collection while partaking in cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Print designer Rebecca Allred will be in attendence and will create hand-painted prints for customers who spend $400 or more.

*An all-day "shopping event" will take place Aug. 8 at the shop, located at 380 Broadway.

*On Sunday, Aug. 9, Lilly Pulizer and The Pink Paddock sponsor the Saratoga Polo Tournaments, which will feature contests, rides in a Lilly Pulitzer printed Jeep, and opportunites to hob nob with designer Allred.


Some of you who are past the "WHO GAVE JUNIOR THE PERMANENT MARKER?!" phase might like to check it out.

What I would have missed if I was at BlogHer '09 ...

Well, this and getting the shelves installed in my office closet. (I've always been a cheap date). Or taking Annabel on her first trip to the laundromat to find out that she's more like me than I realized: LOVED. THE. LAUNDROMAT. She didn't want to leave.
Although for me it's the smell of detergent and dryer sheets; for her it was helping strangers pick out working dryers and running around with the funny clothes carts. I also learned both Annabel and Silas can put together the wooden train tracks (Something I have trouble doing) and the profession of surgeon might be within reach for either of them, as well.

I know the BlogHer conference is more than angst, swag and public/private parties where people get to rub elbows with the top brass of influential blogs ... it just never sounds like it from the post BlogHer posts.

Why is that?

Where's the ripcord?

I'm getting off this crazy train ... only to board another. It's the weekend, folks, and after the past five days I'm a think I'm a gonna drowned my sorrows in piles of laundry and lukewarm cups of coffee. Maybe I'll start packing. Or maybe -- just maybe -- if the kids are more funky than feverish and I've lightened up from the sobering thoughts of late, I'll venture outside to check out one of the family-friendly things happening around the region:

ALL ABOARD …

You don’t want to miss GE Kid’s Day at the plaza
Children's entertainment including face painters, clowns, puppet shows, jugglers, music and pony rides, with special guests Choo Choo Soul from Playhouse Disney will be in attendance. The event, which takes place Sunday at the Empire State Plaza from noon to 5 p.m. is presented by the State Office of General Services. Free.

A day of family activities revolving around the Beatrix Potter classic "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" including playing in Mr. McGregor's garden and finding Peter's shoes takes place at the Washington County Fair Farm Museum Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free. The museum is located on Old Schuyler Road in Greenwich. Call 692-2464 for information.

OTHER GOINGS ON …

A Celebration of the Quadricentennial of the Dutch settlement of the Hudson Valley will take place Saturday at Knickerbocker Mansion. The event includes a 400-year living history time line of the mansion and cemetery tours, sale of a first edition Will Moses poster, vendors and lecturers. A pancake breakfast will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. and an Authentic Dutch Colonial dinner will be served at 11 a.m. A re-enactment of the planting of the 1676 Witengamot Oak (with local dignitaries) commemorating a peace treaty between the Native Americans and European settlers will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday. Knickerbocker Mansion is located at 132 Knickerbocker Road, just off State Route 67 midway between Schaghticoke and Mechanicville.


The Uncle Sam Foundation will host the Uncle Sam Picnic Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Prospect Park in Troy. The goal is to raise money to commemorate the site of the first home in Troy of Samuel Wilson, who was the model for the nation's iconic Uncle Sam characterization. Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets are available at the door. The price of admission includes food, soda, entertainment and entry in prize drawings. Musical entertainment includes the Pearl River Dixieland Jazz Band, Donnie Elvis, the Greg Baker Band and P.J. the D.J., along with master of ceremonies Rudd Young.

UPCOMING...

Kids cooking classes are heating up at Hawthorne Valley Farm in Harlemville. Children of all ages will head out from the farm to harvest fresh, organic vegetables and use their harvest as the main ingredients of the day’s cooking lesion. Events also include stores and a fiber arts activity.
Two sessions of classes are available: Session One, for grades 3 through 5, will meet July 15 through 31; Session Two, for grades 6 through 8, will meet August 5 through 19. Classes for both sessions meet Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for three weeks. Cost is $180 per session. Call 672-7500, extension 105 for more information or email caroline@hawthornevalleyfarm.org.

V-Ville Hoopla and Village Tag Sale will get underway July 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the village of Valatie. The event promises family fun including food, amusements, face painting, a rock climbing wall, kettle corn, and Music by the Reverberators (from 2 to 4 p.m.) not to mention great bargains in the fabulous tag sales all along Main Street.

That child labor thing is just a guideline, right?

Well ... The Champ had to be dragged away, kicking and screaming, from his room after he started getting all Jackson Pollock-y with his paintbrush. His dad may smile on creativity for the walls, but he frowns when it involves the newly refinished floors.

Ittybit, however, spent all afternoon in her room, and with some help from some hard-working friends, managed to cover every smidgeon of wall with a fairly even coat of Peony Pink.

She's ready to move in now.

Just do it ...

Hug your sister ... or your brother ... or your kids today.

Don't ask me why ... just do it, please.

For the universe.


********

And now ...

THE WILD, THE WOOLY AND THE WEEKEND …

The Hedgehog Welfare Society is hosting the Eastern States Hedgehog Show this weekend in Schoharie, NY. The three-day affair will kick off this evening at the Holiday Inn Express hotel.
Think that’s weird? Well just get a load of the events:
* An International Hedgehog Association-sanctioned confirmation show; where hedgehogs of all ilk will be showing off their splendid and spiky forms.
* Also the little thorny creatures will strut their stuff (for stuff and prizes) as part of the Schoharie Skirmish and Costume Ball.
*Not to mention pet and people meditation.
But owning one of these exotic pets is no laughing matter.
Dr. Nigel Reeve, an ecologist for the Royal Parks in London is the guest speaker and a foremost authority on all species of the old-world mammal is the guest speaker.
Dr. Richard DeMatos, from Cornell Veterinary School, who will give a lecture on hedgehog health and disease.
The weekend itinerary also includes opportunities for owners to network, health checks, hedgehog rescue information and more. All are invited to attend.
Visit the Hedgehog Show for more information.


DON’T SHOOT YER EYE OUT WITH THAT THING …
The Rensselaer County 4-H program is hosting a 4-H Shooting Sports session at the Castleton Fish and Game Club on Saturday from 9 .m. to noon.
Youth must be registered with a designated adult. This program is open to youth ages 9 to 19, and youth must be registered and accompanied by an adult. Air rifle will be the discipline of the workshop focusing on overall safety in addition to skill building for accuracy and competency. The cost is $35 per youth/adult registration payable at the session. For additional information, please call 272-4210.

GONE FISHIN’
The town of North Greenbush and the Adirondack Woodsmen, assisted by the Bayly Mountain Fish and Game Club, will host a free fishing clinic for children ages 6 to 12 on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Town Beach at Snyder’s Lake. Class size is limited to 25 children. Parents are encouraged to help children fish. For more information, call Stan at 283-2790 or the Youth Department at 283-2795.

NOT AN EARLY WORM?
Grafton Lakes State Park is offering its fishing clinic for kids, Go Fish!, with DEC Fisheries educators from 1 to 3 p.m. at Long Pond (Group will meet at the boathouse). Children will learn how to fish, and are almost guaranteed a catch in the fruitful waters of the pond. Poles provided by DEC. This event is part of Free Fishing Weekend, so no license is required for parents fishing with their children. Call 279-1155 for more information.

RATHER GO FISH ON SUNDAY?
The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center will hold its “Introduction to Fishing” workshop, also coinciding with New York’s Free Fishing Days at on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pre-registration is not required, but appreciated. Call 658-2055.

Sure ... Father's Day is coming, but after that we're joining the circus ...

Sometimes being the mother of a toddler can make a person feel like a circus performer. You’re always juggling, chasing after or taming someone or something.

But for aerialist Susan Vidbel, who grew up under the Big Top, the circus is where she relaxes. It’s her time to fly.

"When I’m in the ring it’s my vacation."

She credits her grandparents, Al and Joyce Vidbel, two Ringling Brothers’ veterans who started the Vidbel Old Tyme Circus in 1984, for the circus blood running through her veins.

Her grandparents met in 1927 when they both worked at The Greatest Show on Earth: he performed with the elephants and she worked with horses. They were married under the bright lights of the center ring with a full audience of spectators as their guests. And for the next 60 years they lived and raised their family in the circus – first Ringling Brothers’ and later their own: a two-pole tent that went up and down nightly, moving from town to town with their acts … elephants, horses, dogs, aerialists and clowns.

“It’s was one of about a dozen traveling circus left in the country when it closed seven years ago,” says Susan Vidbel, who decided to resurrect the show in 2008 after her grandfather suffered a stroke.

“It’s really what he wanted; to see the show up and running again. He got to see the show go back on the road before he died. I think he was holding out as long as he did to see it.”

Although the elephants are gone, the Vidbel Circus has most of the same acts it did in during its nearly 30-year history as well as new excitements such as a Russian Cube act and other feats of athleticism. Her own little girl has also gotten into the tumbling act.

“There are so many moments that make (this life) so worthwhile,” says Vidbel, who’s done her share of average jobs during the off season. “There is no other place I’ve ever worked that has fostered relationships in such a way. In this business you just become one family.”

Vidbel says the physical work necessary just to get the circus moved, erected and ready for showtime is intense. As the recession took hold this year, they found their ranks shrink as their ability to make payroll diminished. Performers on the road pitch work tirelessly in thankless jobs and then change their clothes and take their place under the spotlight.

“It’s really so inspirational. Some dates we’ve gone without sponsors and everyone helps out. Everyone pulls together. Sometimes there hasn’t been money to pay people and still they do it. … Most of the people we’ve worked with grew up with it or they worked with my grandparents. They just become part of an extended family and it keeps us all pushing.”

Sponsorship, however, is the life blood of a traveling circus and it is on the decline. The hosts – often organizations looking to raise money – book the show and do all the work to get it up and running, everything from acquiring permits to selling tickets and promotion. After the Valatie show, the circus has no other dates on the slate and Vidbel says they are headed back to New Jersey with optimism business will pick up.

“We try to keep it reasonable,” Vidbel says of the $10 ticket price. “Everyone should get a chance to see an Olde Tyme Circus, especially now that things are so expensive. If you have two or three kids you just can’t afford a major circus’ ticket prices. … We want a tent full of people enjoying the show; we just want to survive and get down the road.”

Vidbel's Olde Tyme Circus, sponsored by the Valatie Fire Department, will be at Callan Park in Valatie June 22 and 23 with shows at 5:45 and 7:45 p.m. each night. Tickets are $10 at the door.

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Of course, while mom is juggling the kids, the carpool and a circus ... you shouldn't overlook dad, who is probably outside beating the lawnmower to death with a four iron. My guess is the poor old guy doesn't even remember Father's Day is on Sunday since he's so enraged with the single-stroke engine piece of #4!@ he's been pushing around the yard since he inherited it from his dad on the day of your birth. Dear old gramps is, no doubt, laughing his fool head off as he tools around on his electric ride-on replacement.

So why not do something special for your unsung hero of yard maintenance this weekend?

Go green and serene ...

SunDog Solar is hosting its first Summer Solstice Family Picnic & Energy Fair on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., at Crellin Park, Route 66 in Chatham. This is a BYOP (bring your own picnic) event in which locals can meet their neighbors and everyone can learn about renewable energy. Other events include live music by local and international musicians,and presentations by organizations devoted to sustainable, green and artistic living. The event is rain or shine and admission is free. In lieu of admission attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation (or cash donation) for the Regional Food Bank. For more information, call 392-4000 or visit sundogsolar.net

Pass the beer and brats ...

Treat dad to a Father's Day Picnic at the German-American Club of Albany Sunday.
The event takes place Sunday at the Schuetzenpark Biergarten on the grounds of the German-American Club of Albany, 32 Cherry St. Schuetzenpark is the only outdoor Biergarten remaining in Albany. Live music from the Schwarzennegger Connection will be featured. The park opens at 1 p.m. and the event runs until 7 p.m. Entry is $3 per adult, children under 12 are free. German food and drink are available for purchase as well as domestic food and drink. Children's activities include a parade. In the event of rain, the event will be moved indoors in our large banquet hall and barroom. Call 265-6102 for more information.

Or if you're dad's crust is more upwardly mobile ...

Why not haul dad on up to Lake George village on Sunday and drop by the Adirondack Winery and Tasting Room, 285 Canada St., Lake George (across from Shepard Park). The tasting is free and a limited edition father's day wines will be available. Dads unaccompanied by their spawn need only a photo to get in free. And remember spitting is acceptable at wine tastings. For more information, visit adirondackwinery.com

WAIT FOR IT ...

Not Your Father's movie (unless he was around 21 in 1969)

"Taking Woodstock," the Ang Lee film shot in part in our own backyard, is rumored to be having its world premier in Chatham's historic Crandell Theater. Of course the REAL opening is set for August in NYC, but upstaters might be able to see it first if they keep refreshing this link obsessively.

A comedy, Taking Woodstock, was inspired by the true story of Elliot Tiber and his family, who inadvertently played a pivotal role in making the famed Woodstock Music and Arts Festival into the happening that it was.