Ben's Jammin' Art Project

Driving around Albany I have seen these little red signs advertising family fun and crafts this coming Saturday.

Here is website from the sign. http://bensjamminartproject.blogspot.com/

The whole thing is in memory of a sweet little boy who apparently loved art and was pretty creative. There will be live music, food, demonstrations by the fire and police depts. (including a Bicycle Rodeo.. I have no idea what that means, but that makes this event all the more intriguing), crafts, and a farmer's market.

Does anyone know more about this? It looks like fun.

When: October 3, Noon - 5pm
Where: Across from Holy Names, 1134 New Scotland Rd. Albany NY 12208

Don't forget about...

Smithsonian National Museum Day

Five Rivers Fall Festival

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center is one of the best places in the area to take a hike with the family. If you have been there, you know what I mean...the hiking trails are perfect for little legs and there is plenty of wildlife to see, and this time of year... with the leaves changing, its what fall is supposed to be.

If you haven't been, why not go this Saturday for their Fall Festival and get a sense of the place. Here's some info on what to expect:

Celebrate “The Year of the River” at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, enjoying hands-on-crafts, activities, games, environmental exhibits, and live music! Make a miniature boat to float and go on an “Incredible Journey” that shows the water cycle. Join in painting a “Life Mural” showing natural habitats at Five Rivers. Visit our collection of live native reptiles and amphibians. Go on the “Insect Safari” using nets to capture, observe and release a world of fascinating bugs. Sign up at the Visitor Center for a guided trail walk with a one of the naturalists from 12:30-4 on themes such as rocks and fossils, bird watching, wildlife and tree identification. Enjoy songs, stories and fire lore at the Community Campfire in our outdoor amphitheater. Almost all activities and crafts are barrier-free, and barrier-free trails and the fragrant wildflower garden allow all to enjoy nature. Tasty refreshments, plants, used books, nature guides, T-shirts, and raffle tickets for outdoor gear are for sale.

Free admission and on-site parking. (518)475-0291.
Sat. 9/26, noon-4.

Directions: I-87 (NYS Thruway) to Exit 23 (Albany) to R onto Rt. 9W to R on Rt. 32 (Delmar Bypass) to R onto Elm Ave. to L onto Delaware Ave; R onto Orchard St at Five Rivers sign; L onto Game Farm Rd.; Visitor Center is straight ahead.

You can also visit the Hudson Valley Ramble website for more information and for plenty more ideas on how to enjoy our region in all it's autumnal glory.

Dr. Seuss Memorial Garden

Here are some pictures from our recent trip to the Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Garden in lovely downtown Springfield, MA. No, it was not our only reason to go (The Eric Carle Museum and Trader Joe's were also on the agenda...mama needs her chocolate covered jo-jo's), but it was a great stop along the way.

The sculpture garden is a part of the larger Springfield Museums Complex which, while we did not pay admission for, looked like a pretty decent museum. Something to do on a rainy day.

Why Springfield, you ask? Because Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel) was born there. Geisel's step daughter designed the memorial.

The Lorax

Please Horton, don't hurt 'em

Dr. Seuss meets Home Alone

Oh, the places you'll go storybook page.

Thing 1 and Thing 2

What's better than buying it?
Putting it all on and taking a picture of it.
What?? We're in a recession.

BPA free? Think again.

So with all the fairly recent BPA scares I went out and purchased a fancy (read: pricey) stainless steel water bottle, thinking I was doing my part to help the ailing planet and my health... and now this.

Just goes to show you... it ain't easy being green.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is as Creepy as I Remembered It

As children, my father used to take my sister and I to the library on Saturday mornings (probably so my mom could sleep in) and let us choose out some movies (VHS of course...DV-what?). Usually some MGM musical or old episodes of Reading Rainbow made their way home with us and we would enjoy them during a family movie night. My deep obsession for chocolate and oompa loompas was realized when watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, and my crush on Gene Kelly started with Singin' in the Rain.

There was one movie however that made a lasting impression on me....in a bad way. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. For those of you who have seen it, you may know of what I speak. At first, the idea of a couple of kids, their eccentric father, and a flying car have all the ingredients of a great family movie. And that's exactly what I thought when I started watching it with my daughter...but oh how your memory can fail you. The first half an hour or so are cutesy enough, but when they get into the weird dream sequence part, things go downhill, fast. Here are the things that creep me out the most:

Creepiness Factors in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

1. The indecipherable grandfather who is always hanging out in his outhouse. Gross.

2. The flirty little number sung between the Bavarian King and his child-hating queen. (She is wearing some sexy little number and he in his bathrobe, prancing around the bedroom trying to kill each other. ) Weird.

3. The Child Catcher. This dude is the stuff nightmares are made of. As soon as I saw his face again, all these years later, it took all of my power not to curl into a fetal position and sob. He's scary, he lures children into cages with candy, he does the moonwalk...Oh wait, that's someone else.... (too soon?)

4. Benny Hill plays the toymaker. It is probably his only role which does not involve chasing around women in bikinis.


Please don't watch this movie. (If you really can't make that promise, I humbly offer this clip to you as a cautionary measure)

The Rent Project

Look what I found on All Over Albany.

The Rent Project.

He's coming over to do some weeding for me.

$3.50... what a bargain. Plus it counts towards my 'Do something creative everyday' goal...(as in I am creatively getting out of weeding by supporting someone else's creativity).

I hope he needs help with a car payment too... my laundry is really starting to pile up.