“I have always enjoyed working with young children, and I am constantly seeking opportunities to learn about the real world – meaning the world unadorned by modern society’s version of progress,” added Clara Kramer-Wheeler, Wild Earth instructor. “It’s funny that in our society we talk a lot about ‘getting out into nature,’ as if nature was something separate from ourselves that we could visit by choice, rather than the actual world we all exist within. One of the reasons I love working with younger kids like in this Forest and Farm Day program is because most young children are so happy to communicate with plants and animals as sentient beings. If we can nurture and cultivate that enthusiasm, maybe it can remain into adulthood.”
Phillies Bridge Farm is located at 45 Phillies Bridge Road in New Paltz. To register or for more information, call (845) 256-9108 or visit https://wildearth.org.
Clothesline Art Show, Family Day Kayaking program at Hudson River Maritime Museum
According to Crazy Days to Celebrate by Bonny Algozzine, Thursday, May 9 is Lost Sock Memorial Day. What does that have to do with the Hudson River Maritime Museum (HRMM)? It’s time for submissions to HRMM’s children’s Clothesline Art Show. But instead of lamenting about those missing socks, children can focus on this year’s theme: “Shipwrecked! Crashed, Wrecked, Sunken and Scrapped Boats and Ships of the Hudson.” Children from kindergarten through high school are eligible to participate, and the entry deadline is Sunday, June 30.
Here’s more good news: HRMM hosts Family Day on the second Thursday of every month, which means discount admission prices of $5 and under, a later closing time of 8 p.m. and special family-friendly activities. This month’s Family Day theme is “Kayaking along the Hudson River Estuary and Its Tributaries.” In addition to the regular museum exhibits, such as its epic collection of model ships, kayak videos will be available throughout the day. Kayakers will be available to answer questions, and one will do a demonstration of Eskimo rolls. A parade of kayaks, canoes and paddleboards will take place on the Rondout between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Did you know that one of the benefits of HRMM membership is free access to the canoe and kayak launch? Here’s even more good news: Mothers receive free admission to the Museum on Mothers’ Day, Sunday, May 12.
The Hudson River Maritime Museum is located at 50 Rondout Landing in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 338-0071 or visit www.hrmm.org.
Colonial-era springtime activities at Kingston’s Senate House
The 1700s were important years: In 1752, Ben Franklin flew that lightning-charged kite; in 1776, the US achieved independence; and in 1797, abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth was born here in Ulster County. In 1777, the same year that Congress adopted the American flag with 13 stars and stripes, the New York State Senate held its first session in Abraham Van Gaasbeek’s house in Kingston, now known as the Senate House.
Curious about daily life back then? Check out this weekend’s event at the Senate House, “Preparing for a New Year,” taking place on Saturday, May 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a chance to see sheepshearing, basketweaving, a beekeeping demonstration, spinning and weaving, music and planting an 18th-century vegetable garden. A modest admission fee may be charged.
The Senate House is located at 296 Fair Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 338-2786 or visit www.senatehousekingston.
Sensory fun at Morrison Lab School
If Chewelry ever changed your life, or you’ve found great comfort and inspiration in the book The Out-of-Sync Child, or you have a secret crush on Jed Baker, then clear your calendars for this Saturday’s Sensory Fun Festival. On Saturday, May 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., SUNY-Orange hosts this wonderful event featuring fun sensory activities and crafts, games and prizes for all ages, non-toxic face-painting from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., an exotic animal show and petting zoo from 1 to 2 p.m. and more. And it’s free!
The Sensory Fun Festival takes place rain or shine at the Morrison Lab School Building, located at 115 South Street, on the corner of Bedford Avenue and South Street in Middletown. For more information, call (802) 279-8909 or (646) 594-4225. To learn more about the Morrison Lab School, including its summer program, visit www.sunyorange.edu/labschool.
Food Truck Fest at FiberFlame Studio
According to Bonny, Thursday, May 16 is Wear Purple for Peace Day. Peace with what or whom, you ask? Peace with aliens! Wear purple to promote peace with aliens! “But how can they see me if I’m inside?” you wonder. “I should be outside to show my purple!” you say.
I’ve got the perfect solution: the Hudson Valley Food Truck Festival! It’s one of the few times I don’t mind if everyone in our family wants to eat something different for dinner. From 3:30 to 9:30 p.m., stop by for a snack or dinner from Jumpin’ Jack, ‘Cue, Yum Yum on Wheels, Tin Cantina, Pippy’s Hotdog Truck, Kona Ice and more while you enjoy entertainment from Maya Coppola, the Sin City Band and the Hula Hoop Girls. Did I mention the walk-in crafts and more?
All of this fun takes place in the FiberFlame Studio parking lot, located at 1776 Route 212 in Saugerties (or Saugerstock, as Shea called it). Can’t make it this week? Here are the rest of the 2013 Food Truck Festival dates: June 20, July 18, August 15 and September 19, all at the FiberFlame Studio lot. For more information, call (845) 399-2222 or visit www.facebook.com/hvfoodtrucks.
Mothers’ day roundup
Mothers’ Day is Sunday, May 12. Here’s a roundup of Mom-related activities taking place on this day, most of which are free for Moms!
Honor’s Haven Resort & Spa’s third annual Tulip Festival & Mothers’ Day Celebration in Ellenville, including Mothers’ Day luncheon, vendors, live performances and more. For reservations (strongly recommended) or more information including fees, call (845) 210-1600 or visit www.honorshaven.com.
FiberFlame Studio in Saugerties is waiving the studio fee for Moms on Mothers’ Day. For more information about getting crafty, call (845) 679-6132 or visit www.fiberflamestudio.com.
The Storm King Art Center in New Windsor hosts a tour for children and families at 2 p.m. with Wally McGuire, included with admission. For more information, call (845) 534-3115 or visit www.stormking.org.
Claremont State Historic Site in Germantown hosts a family-themed tour of Clermont’s gardens and a 1 p.m. tea (reservations required, limit of 30 spots). For reservations and fee information, call (518) 537-4240 or visit https://nysparks.com.
The Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston admits Moms free on Mothers’ Day. For more information, call (845) 338-0071 or visit www.hrmm.org.
The Trolley Museum of New York in Kingston gives Moms a free trolley ride on Mothers’ Day from 12 noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call (845) 331-3399 or visit www.tmny.org.
Scenic Hudson hosts “Plant a Tree with Your Mother Day” at Black Creek Preserve in Esopus. Come anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and it’s free. For more information, call (845) 473-4440, extension 273, or visit www.scenichudson.org.
The Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in Cornwall hosts a guided hike for Moms at its Outdoor Discovery Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m., open to all ages. For more information including fees, call (845) 534-5506 or visit https://hhnaturemuseum.org.
Women’s Woodstock Cycling Grand Prix’s first annual event and America’s only women-only cycling grand prix consists of three competitive bicycle races of varying lengths as well as kids’ races and events for the whole family. To register or for more information, visit https://womenswoodstockgrandprix.com.
Erica Chase-Salerno uses a prehensile grip and sends snail mail in New Paltz with her husband Mike and their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
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