Mom Blooper #2: St. Patrick's Day in Chicago

St. Patrick's Day began as a public holiday in Ireland in 1903.  It celebrates Patrick, a missionary and bishop who converted Irish citizens to Christians.  The shamrock, a three-leaved plant, was used to explain the Holy Trinity (unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).  March 17th marked his date of death.  Christians of the Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, and Lutheran Church especially recognized the date.  Many countries now celebrate St. Patrick's Day and people enjoy wearing green and shamrocks.

Chicago is often cited as ranking within the Top 10 of St. Patrick's celebrations in the world with four locations prior: 1) Dublin, Ireland, 2) British Virgin Islands, 3) New York, and 4) Boston.  Chicago's famous tradition is using eco-friendly vegetable dye to make the river turn a vibrant emerald green.  The color lasts five hours, so citizens and tourists line the river and later walk to the parade.  The parade is also recognized because it is one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades.  

With downtown Chicago only an hour away, it sounds like a terrific family event.  I knew parking could prove difficult considering the expected 400,000 spectators.  It made sense to take the train downtown.  There begins the Mom Blooper.  If I had conducted a bit more research, I would have also seen the event descriptions as "raucous pub crawls to lively parades, jovial crowds."

I might have noticed the Wikipedia description of the U.S. celebration as including "copious consumption of alcohol".  

The minute we boarded the train, I knew we had an adventure on our hands.  Most of the other passengers were drunk teenagers, drinking hidden alcohol in water bottles.  Each stop picked up more loud drunk teenagers.  We needed a restroom on the walk to the river.  The women's restroom with an overflowed toilet, I had to referee a bunch of teenage boys and explain that both the girls and the boys could take their turns using the one boys bathroom stall.  The kids still found the river amazing.  The kids still liked the costumes and balloons.  We followed the crowd to the parade route.  We walked slowly and carefully through the thick, dense crowd; we thought we'd lose a kid.  If the train was full of drunk teens in the morning, I could only imagine the ride home.  I was right.  The conductor raised his voice and tried to get some control.  On the upside the journey provided a teaching moment, "see what happens when teenagers drink too much." 

Gym Class #5: Kids Sailing Camps from High to Lower Cost

Hoofer Sailing Club

UW Madison, Photo by Krenda

Before classes at University of Wisconsin Madison even begun, I took the Hoofer sailing club up for a deal to sail for free as part of orientation.  Not only did I love the sport, I met lifelong friends.  Now when strolling outside Memorial Union, I always admire the sailboats and imagine having a little more time to sail on the water.

Sailing may seem unobtainable for kids to begin due to lesson prices.  I've done a bit of research for you to show that sailing can cost thousands of dollars to begin, but it does not have to be so expensive.  Look beyond the yacht club and search park programs or YMCA camps.  In descending order from most to least expensive, here's eleven options:

1.  Adriondack Camp (Putnam Station, NY) offers a diverse sailboat fleet including Mercury Sloop, Capri Sloop, Lasers, Sunfish, JV Sloop, Classic 420, and 6 Flying Juniors; 2 week session $4,600

2.  Coral Reef Yacht Club (Miami, FL) teaches 8 to 17 year olds $750

3.  Coconut Grove Sailing Club (Miami, FL), learn how to rig, launch a boat, basic knots, and develop wind awareness; age 6-17 9AM-4PM $600

4.  San Diego Yacht Club (San Diego, CA) host of the Junior Olympic festival, fleet of 24 new CFJ sailboats; $590 for Junior Summer sailing

5.  Northwestern University Sailing Center (Chicago, IL), 420s and lasers, 9AM-noon $575

6.  Premier Sailing (The Tides, Irvington, VA), founded in 1998 by Irish sailors, one week young sailors course for age 6-17 $445

7.  Sail Sand Point (Seattle, WA), non-profit community boating center, separated by age such as youth beginner (8-12 year olds), teen beginner (12-17 yr olds) $410; same pricing at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Seattle

8.  The Watersports Camp (San Diego, CA), sponsored by the YMCA, basic sailing morning camp and option to upgrade to afternoon activity for only $50 incremental; $370

9.  St. Petersburg sailing (Florida), Learn to Sail Camp for age 7 to 12 teaches rigging, steering, and maneuvering around docks 8:30-4:30PM; $321

10.  Sail Buffalo Sailing School (Buffalo, NY), Junior Sailing Camp Nautical Day Camp 9AM-4PM age 8 to 18; full week $294

11.  Hoofer Youth Program (UW Madison, Madison, WI); sailing day camp 10AM-4PM or beginner racing (3 hours) for $265; also offers windsurfing lessons

12.  Wilmette Park (Chicago suburbs, IL) group sailing lessons age 9-15, 8 lessons 12:30-2:30 or 3-5PM, learn on Lake Michigan; 12 students max. per class; $196 each

Before the kids begin lessons, give them a head start by teaching them the terms:  rudder, centerboard, tack, stern, boom, head mast, jib, jibstay, jibsheet, bow, etc.

Art & Sculpture #2: 7 Ice Sculpture Festivals in the US

Ice Sculpture Festival, Photo by Krenda

When you grow up in Northern Wisconsin, you have a choice to complain about the bitter cold or embrace the winter scene's beauty.  I remember as a child enjoying a winter festival in Feb. which included horse drawn carriage rides and cherries jubilee.  What caught my eye and attention were the ice sculptures, impressive pieces of art suddenly appearing on the square.

Exposure early in my life intrigued me to learn more about this art.  I continued to be captivated by ice sculptures.  I intently watched contests on cruise ships, amazed by such skill with a powerful chainsaw.  I even drove up to the largest and oldest ice festival in the United States, the Plymouth Ice Festival, in January.  We took our kids to the local ice festival in the "city of sculptures" - Hamilton, OH.  Another winter, we took them to an ice festival in Kentucky which included the artists demonstrating how to create the art from a block to the finished product, while listening to live music - so cool!

Lesson Idea

Art:  Before attending a sculpture festival, teach children that art can be made with lots of different medium - even ice!  It's also a science project as you teach children about solids transforming to liquids.

1.  Fill half gallon cardboard milk carton with water and freeze overnight

2.  Remove ice from container and stand block up in a pan
3.  Sprinkle rock salt on top
4.  Squirt colored water with eye droppers, watch the color run through the cracks

Here's 7 Ice Sculpture Festivals you and your kids could attend:

1.  Plymouth Ice Festival - Plymouth, Michigan (MI) pictured above
          http://www.plymouthicefestival.org/
2.  Stowe Winter Carnival - Stowe, Vermont
3.  Fire and Ice Festival - Mount Holly, New Jersey (NJ)
4.  The Greenbrier Festival - White Sulphur Springs, WV
5.  The Green River Crystal Classic Winter Festival - Green River, WY
6.  Ithaca Ice Wars - Ithaca, New York (NY)
7.  Titanic's Ice Sculpture Competiton - Pigeon Forge, TN

If you are making a road trip to the festival in Pigeon Forge and need to rent a cabin, check out my other blogs
 http://www.lightningbuglodge.blogspot.com/
http://www.indigomoonlodge.blogspot.com/

Art Lesson #1: Chihuly at Indianapolis Children's Museum

I've met many famous people, but never Dale Chihuly. Yet, everytime I see his art, I feel connected.  The University of Wisconsin Madison's Art Center held his first solo exhibit in 1968. It was earlier than my time, but a special school to me too as my alma mater.

Everytime I see his artwork, I feel inspired. Dale took glassblowing to a whole new level, making it a fine art, a contemporary art full of imagination and a kalediscope of color.   

You can find Chihuly's art on permanent display:
While visiting the Indianapolis Children's Museum, the largest children's museum in the world, I photographed his glass displayed in the ceiling. The kids looked up in awe at the bright colors and seashell-like shapes.

The Chihuly Garden and Glass In Seattle Center opened in 2012.  This center provides a much bigger collection of his art with both indoor and outdoor exhibits.  I was fortunate to visit at time which included local artists demonstrating glass blowing.  Visit my blog article to read about my visit and experience.

Also, look online for Chihuly's traveling art:
Cactus flowers bloomed, the sun set over the horizon, and I thoroughly enjoyed strolling past Chihuly art in sun and darkness at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona.

You may find his art at other botanical gardens or museums such as Chihuly Catalina Island Museum (Avalon, CA), New York Botanical Garden (The Bronx, NY), Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, Arkansas).

There's so many artists creating beautiful glass art.  If you'd like to inspire your children's creativity by viewing glass art, here's 6 other museums to explore:
1.  Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, FL), the most comprehensive collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany http://morsemuseum.org/
3.  Musuem of Glass (Tacoma, WA) focusing on contemporary and Pacific Northwest glass art http://museumofglass.org/
4.  National Heisey Glass Museum, (Veterans Park, Newark, OH)
http://heiseymuseum.org/
5.  The New Bedford Museum of Glass (New Bedford, Massachusetts) opened 2010 in former textile building  http://www.nbmog.org/
6.  Toledo Museum of Art including The Glass Pavilion, (Toledo, OH) The Glass Pavilion with curved glass walls and a Dale Chihuly sculpture opened in 2006 http://www.toledomuseum.org/glass-pavilion/
7.  Corning Museum of Art, (Corning, NY) Finger Lake area, $15 adult, free for kids
http://www.cmog.org/visit/hours-and-admission

Animal Lesson #1: 7 Whale Watching Tours

Ohana, it means family in the Hawaiian language. I visited Hawaii to see family and more – waterfalls, rainbows, whales, canyons, volcanic rock, canyons and mountains, and more fish than I can count.  This is a photo taken from our cruise ship touring from one Hawaiian island to another.  We also enjoyed seeing whales from a cruise deck in Glacier Bay, Alaska.  We were the first set of cruise ships in the season, early June.  Tourists see whales through August.

You don't need to fly to an island or take a large cruise ship to show your kids whales.  Here's seven options in descending order from most expensive to least:

1.   Kodiak Island, Alaska, gray whales in April, humpback whales in June to Nov.
Kodiak Adventures Unlimited requires minimum number of passengers and $180 each (approx. $720 for family of four) for 3 hour tour or $240 for 5 hours; at this price, consider a major cruise.  We sailed on Holland America and loved watching for marine animals for seven days.

2.  San Juan Islands, Washington, orcas (killer whales & technically dolphins)
San Juan Safaris in Harbor, WA, - family of 4 approx. $262: $79 adult, $52 children, April to Oct.

3.  Long Island, NY, fin, humpback, minke, sperm, blue and sei whales, July through Labor Day
American Princess Cruises (Rockaway Queens NY), Riis Landing only on specific dates; $48 adult and $33 child - family of 4 approx. $162

4.  Santa Barbara, CA, gray whales and 26 other types of whales and dolphins, Feb. to April
Condor Express early spring coast cruise for 2.5 hours - family of 4 approx. $160; $50 adult, $30 children, more expensive longer cruises (4.5 hours) in fall and winter for $99

5.  Provincetown, Massachusetts, critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, March to Oct.

Captain John Boats (Provincetown) includes marine biologist giving talks on 4 hour tour; $47 adult, $31 child - family of four approx. $156

6.   Cape May, NJ, humpback and finback in March
Cape May Whale Watcher (Cape May, NY); 2.5 hour whale and dolphin watch $35 adult and $25 child includes comp continental breakfast - family of 4 approx. $120; 3 hour tour with no food $40 adult

7.  Virginia, VA, fin whales during winter
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center; aquarium experts share research and conservation stories while watching for whales on the Atlantic Explorer; 2-2.5 hour trip $28 adult and $24 child - family of 4 approx. $104

State Park #2: Hocking Hills State Park, Logan Ohio - geology lessons

Get out of the house and go explore and you will see majestic cliffs, waterfalls, gorges, and more. Especially if you drive to Hocking Hills State Park. I've been to a lot of State Parks, but none like this one in Ohio.  While hiking, you have time to discuss geological processes.  Gorges are mainly formed because of the flow of water or lava.  Smaller than canyons, gorges still have deep, narrow valleys with a river or stream running.  Even easier than creating your own science lesson, check out the park schedule for educational talks hosted by naturalists. 

Besides admiring the rocks, go on a hunt for waterfalls.  This photo shows Cedar Falls, the largest in terms of water volume.  From the photo, it's difficult to tell size.  It spans 50 feet with water cascading between limestone and ending in a pool.  I'd also recommend the waterfall at Ash Cave.  You'll be impressed with the size of the 700-foot long cave.

Gorges make beautiful scenery for a hike with your family.  Two of the top three parks winning the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Award Best State Park rating have well known gorges:

1) Letchworth State Park (Castile, New York) rated #1:  includes Genesee River Gorge, sometimes referred as "Grand Canyon of the East"
2) Watkins Glen State Park (New York) rated #3:  includes Gorges of Finger Lakes, 200 foot cliffs, 19 waterfalls, part of the Finger Lake State Parks

Readers rated Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan as the #2 state park.

Here's 9 Other gorges you could visit with your family:
1.  Quechee Gorge, Vermont: (Quechee State Park):  deepest gorge in Vermont, view from US Route 4 bridge
2.  Bluestone River Gorge, West Virginia: canyon land around the Bluestone National Scenic River and protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (est. 1988)
3.  Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico: approx. 50 mile gorge beginning near the Colorado border, part of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument (designated 2013)
4.  Avalance Gorge, Avalanche Cree, Montana:  narrow chasms near the falls within Glacier National Park
5.  Linville Gorge, North Carolina: part of the Pisgah National Forest and sourced by Linville River, also claims "Grand Canyon of the East"
6.  Bad River Gorge, Wisconsin (Copper Falls State Park): walls can tower up to 100 feet above the river bed, watch for flash floods
7.  Cathedral Gorge, Nevada near Panaca, Nevada: (Cathedral Gorge State Park) established 1935, early construction included picnicking facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
8.  Malad Gorge, Idaho; (Malad Gorge State Park):  narrow steel walk way across the gorge
9.  Columbia Gorge, Oregon Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area: managed by the Columbia River Gorge Commission and the US Forest Service, 80 mile canyon up to 4,000 feet deep and spans Oregon and Washington

NPS #1 & Science: Niagara Falls National Park

Niagara Falls  Photo by Krenda

Rainbow intersects Niagara Falls

Driving through Canada to Niagara Falls with our two month baby made our son an early international traveler and national park visitor.  

Niagara Falls is listed as one of the 501 Must-Visit Natural Wonders because it's the best known falls.  The book comments on the sound too, "The local tribespeople call the falls 'onguiaahra', a 'thundering noise', which may seem like an understatement when you are faced with the sheer noise of almost 185,000 cubic m (6,600,000 cubic ft) of water roaring into the gorge every minute.  
     Glaciers melted and formed the Niagara Falls, a combination of three waterfalls (Horseshoe Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls, and American Falls) located in two countries.  Whether you visit in Canada or the United States, take the opportunity to get closer to the rushing water.  

My Youngest Tourist

According to 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, Niagara Falls is a must see site and should be seen by boat too, "The classic way to view them, and also the best, is from aboard the Maid of the Mist, a sturdy 600-passenger boat that's the tenth in a same-name line of crafts, taking passengers right into the spray at the base of Horseshoe Falls since 1846."  We took the Maid of the Mist tour (adult $19.25, child age 6-12 years old $11.20, age 5 and under free) and experienced the sights and sounds of rushing water and appreciated the tour giving us raincoats.

Niagara Falls at Night

You may only spend a day around Niagara Falls.  I'd suggest visiting both day and night, so you can see the colored lights light up the falls at night too.  This is also recommended by Amazing Places to Take Your Kids, "Don't miss seeing Niagara Falls after dark, when powerful spotlights bathe the water in ever-changing colors."  On the US side, the falls are located within a national park, but the commercial surrounding area is very close and the competing bright lights and trinket stores could drive you to find less crowded natural sites.  

Not far away, you will find Whirlpool State Park.  Read my post "Science:  Niagara Falls Whirlpool and 9 Other Whirlpools" for more information.

State Park #1: Whirlpool State Park, Niagara Falls NY - science of whirlpools

Natural whirlpools happen when water rotates from opposing currents.  It can look like a spinning hole.  Opposing force is created by the pressure of the surrounding water.  Pressure greater under the water than on the surface makes the whirlpool widest at the top. 
     Our family visited the Niagara Falls whirlpool in Whirlpool State Park to see the Class 6 whitewater rapids and whirlpool.  The narrow width of the gorge, rapid descent of the river, and volume of water combine for the fast moving water.  Just a short drive from Niagara Falls National Park (separate article) and you can easily see the swirling water from a street level scenic overlook.
   
     We also watched an aero cars travel across the river.  Since we had our baby on the trip, we didn't take a ride.  However, research shows that the ride has a reputation of safety.  While the ride takes you 250 feet above rapids moving 22 to 23 mph, the car only travels at 4.3 mph and takes only ten minutes to cross.  The famous Spanish engineer Leonardo Torres Quevedo designed the Whirlpool Aero Car, the first of it's kind, and it opened in 1916.  Upgraded many times and there's never been an accident or injury.  A rescue car exists, but employees have never used it with the public.  Due to the international border line location mid river, the ride takes you to another country in only ten minutes. If you buy a Niagara Wonder Pass for $25 online, you can visit multiple sites including Niagara's Fury, Journey Behind the Falls, and the Butterfly Conservatory.  Aero car operates March to November.

Even if you don't take the ride, enjoy the nature.  The 109-acre park includes a moderate hiking level 5.5 mile loop trail named the Niagara Gorge Rim Trail and Whirlpool Rapids Trail.  Take the stairs down to the Whirlpool Rapids Trail to walk closer to the river.  You'll notice the green/blue water color.  The mineral-rich waters are environmentally friendly for algae growth which combine with dissolved limestone, shale, and sandstone to create vibrant color.

You can use a whirlpool science kit to teach or you can visit a real whirlpool.  According to smashinglists.com "Top 10 Places to See Whirlpools", Europe and North America have great whirlpool examples:
1.  Saltstraumen, Norway
World's most powerful whirlpool or maelstrom (Nordic word for whirlpool) near town of Bodo
2.  Niagara Falls, USA and Canada
Located at the Niagara Falls River and includes a "reversal phenomenon" in which water enters the pool and then travels counter-clockwise around the pool when enough water
3.  Dviete, Latvia
Daugava River has impressive vortex
4.  Te Aumiti, New Zealand
Located between Admiralty Bay and Tasman Bay
5.  Skookunchuck Narrows, Canada
Viewing platform from National Park
6.  Charybdis, Italy
View from the coast of Sicily
7.  Corryvreckan, Scotland
Third-largest whirlpool between the islands of Jura and Scarba
8. Mostraumen, Norway
2nd strongest whirlpool and located in the sea instead of a river
9.  Old Sow, USA and Canada
Biggest whirlpool in Western Hemisphere and makes a screeching noise.  View from Eastport, Maine or near Deer Island, New Brunswick
10.  Naruto, Japan
Use the Uzu No Michi walkway suspended below the Onaruto Bridge.  Time it right because it only occurs every six hours