Closest Moon of the year
The media will call it a Supermoon, astronomers will call it lunar perigee, and Hudson River tides will be stronger than usual.
Columns
Cliffs and waterfalls in the Catskills
To geologists, there is a simple question. How did these waterfalls, with their hazards, come into existence? Haven’t waterfalls just always been there? Well no they haven’t; they were brought into existence by geological processes. We just have to be observant enough to figure out those processes.
Kids’ Almanac (Feb. 7-14)
Tivoli on ice: Not-for-profit opens pop-up community skating rink | “Ridge & Tower” art exhibition in New Paltz to benefit students.
The coaching game
Forget about all the blathering by the likes of Dick Vitale about what geniuses the two coaches are who happen to be directing the fortunes of the teams he happens to be working. Really, whatever the game, whoever the coaches, Vitale’s over-the-top positive platitudes are monkey-business as usual.
Kids’ Almanac (Jan. 31-Feb. 7)
New riff on the Matter of Britain in The Kid Who Would Be King; Dragon King marionettes; Chinese New Year crafts; Help out during the amphibian migration; Groundhog Day at Hudson Highlands Nature Museum; Ice Harvest Festival.
What’s in a name?
We caught a lucky break with the clouds, and were able to see the total lunar eclipse the other week.
On the Rocks: Where the boys are
Why is it that when a large group of mammoth bones are found, a disproportionate number of them are males?
The body electric
We all know that brains and muscles operate electrically. But almost no one seems aware that our body’s electricity has very quirky, variable characteristics.
Children’s Labyrinth at Forsyth Nature Center was inspired by Erica Chase-Salerno
“I hope this project, like Erica, inspires young families to get out and enjoy the natural world and do it with big cheesy smiles on their faces.”
The newest American Girl doll, brainchild of local author Jennifer Castle, lives in Ulster County
Her name is Blaire Wilson, and she lives on a family farm-turned-B&B/wedding venue in a fictional rural community called Bluefield – which, according to Castle, is tucked in somewhere between New Paltz and Gardiner, at the base of the Shawangunk Ridge.
