Women's Hiking Group December 22

The Women's Hiking Group will meet this week on Tuesday only (12/22) at 9:30 am at Aldrich Park, off New Road in Ridgefield.
The group will not meet Dec 24 or the week of December 28 due to school closings.
Enjoy the holidays!!!!!

Women's Hiking Group December 15 & 17

This week (12/15 & 12/17) we will be hiking at 9:30 am at Topstone in Redding. Take Topstone Rd. off of Rt. 7, follow over the RR tracks and continue on dirt road and parking is on the right.

Women's Hiking Group December 8 & 10

The group will be hiking at 9:30 am on Tues (12/8) and Thurs (12/10) at Pierrepont State Park, which is off Barlow Mountain Rd. near Scotland and Barlow Mt. Elementary schools.

Women's Hiking Group December 3

The hike has been canceled today, Thurs, 12/3 due to high winds.

Women's Hiking Group December 1

The group will meet Tues (12/1) at 9:30 am and hike at Brewster Farm in Ridgefield. Park in cul de sac at north end of Lounsbury Lane.

Women's Hiking Group November 24

The group will be hiking at Florida Refuge in Ridgefield on Tues, 11/24.
Directions: Take Florida Hill Rd. and turn left onto High Valley Rd, park on High Valley Rd.
Or take Rte. 7, turn right onto Florida Hill Rd. and High Valley Rd. with be on the right.
There will be no hike on Thursday, Nov 26 for Thanksgiving, but we will hold our annual "Walk Off the Turkey" hike on Friday, Nov 27 at 11:00 am. Meeting place is the entrance to the Rail Trail art end of Halpin Lane. This walk is open to everyone, all ages, Free for members,s $5 for non-members.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Women's Hiking Group November 19

The group will meet Thursday (11/19) and hike the Bobby's Court trail.
Directions: Take Rt. 7 to Druid Lane, go up to Bobby's Court and Old Stone Court will be on the right. Park on Old Stone Court near trail entrance.

Women's Hiking Group Week of November 16

The group will meet this week Tuesday (11/17) at Blacksmith Ridge.
Directions: Take Barry Ave. Turn left onto Remington Rd. Turn right onto Peaceable Hill Rd.
Stay straight onto Blacksmith Ridge Rd. Follow to end and cul-de-sac.

Women's Hiking Group Week of November 9

The group will meet this week, Tuesday (11/10) and Thursday (11/12) and hike in Redding.
Directions: From Route 7 traveling South, turn left onto Old Redding Rd (near where Walpole used to be). Right after you go under the RR bear right onto Mountain Rd. Take Mountain Rd to Peaceable St and turn left onto Peaceable. The parking for the open space is on the left, if you come to an electrical substation on the right you have gone too far.

Ghosts of Ridgefield

Ghosts of Ridgefield on October 25 was a great night! We had perfect weather, and a beautiful clear night. We also had many ghostly visitors on our hikes through Hemlock Hills, including Col. Philip Burr Bradley, Anna Keeler Resseguie, the Leatherman, Sybil Ludington, Gerladine Farrar, Chief Catoonah, Rev. Thomas Hauley, and Sarah Bishop. A special thank you to Ancona's Market for donating the apple cider, and NCL for all the home-made cookies. For more information on the mortal lives of our Ghosts please click here.

Women's Hiking Group Week of November 2

There will not be a hike on Tuesday, November 3, since schools are closed.
The group will meet Thursday, November 5 at 9:30 am at Quarry Head in Wilton.
Directions: Take Rte 35 through Ridgefield to Rte 33. Once you cross into Wilton, between mailbox # 760 and #764 on the left there is a brown sign that says Quarry Head. Turn in and follow road up to parking area.

Women's Hiking Group Week of October 26

The Women's Hiking Group will meet this week Tues (10/27) & Thurs (10/29) at 9:25 am at Ancona's Market parking lot (intersection of Rte 7 & Rte 102). From there they will carpool and hike at Weir Farm.

Women's Hiking Group Week of October 19

The Women's Hiking Group will meet this week Tues (10/20) and Thurs (10/22) at 9:30 am at Lake Windwing, off South Drive, Ridgefield. Park near ball fields.
Take Benett's Farm Road to South Shore Drive.

Women's Hiking Group Week of October 13

The Women's Hiking Group will meet this week at 9:30 am, Tues (10/13 and Thurs (10/15) and hike Aldrich Park in Ridgefield. Take Farmingville Road to New Road, Aldrich Park and parking area are on New Road.

Women's Hiking Group Sept 29 & Oct 1

The Women's Hiking Group will hike part of the Ives Trail on Tuesday (9/29) and Thursday (10/1). Meeting Place: 9:25 am at Bennett's Pond, parking area on Bennett's Farm Road.

Women's Hiking Group September 22 & 24

The Women's Hiking Group will met at 9:30 am Tues (9/22) and Thurs (/24) and hike Pierrepont Park, parking is off Barlow Mountain Road.

Women's Hiking Group September 15 & 17

The Women's Hiking Group will met Tuesday (9/15) and Thursday (9/17) and hike Topstone.
Directions: Take Rte 7 to Topstone Road, follow Topstone Rd across RR tracks and continue until it turns into a dirt road. Parking area is on the right.
If it is a nice day, please bring a snack or lunch and we will take a break at the top to enjoy the scenery.

Women's Hiking Group September 10

The Women's Hiking Group will meet Thursday, September 10 at 9:30 am and hike Brewster Farm in Ridgefield. Take Farmingville Road to Lounsbury Road and park on Banks Hill Place. The entrance to Jones Trail is across the street.

Women's Hiking Group September 8

The Women's Hiking Group will not meet on Tuesday, Sept 8 due to a Ridgefield school delay.

Women's Hiking Group Week of September 3

The Women's Hiking Group will meet Thursday, 9/3 at 9:30 am and hike at Bennett's Pond. Entrance and parking area is on Bennett's Farm Road in Ridgefield.

Family Camp: Campfire with Night Hike, Storytelling & S'mores

Our campfire on August 14th at the Ridgefield Rec Center was an evening of outdoor summer fun, with toasted marshmallows and s'mores, followed by a night hike to learn about animals and creatures that become active at sunset. After the hike we returned to the campfire for Native American stories about the stars and constellations. For many of the children this was their first campfire, and even some of the adults had never had a s'more before that night! It was a really great night of family fun.

Family Camp trip to Muscoot Farm

Our trip to Muscoot Farm in Katonah, NY was a terrific day. We started with a hayride that brought us through the farm and past the horses. It was a beautiful ride and allowed us to view the land beyond the farm buildings. The kids enjoyed getting up close to the cows in the Dairy Barn, and also the old-fashioned Milk House, Ice House, and Blacksmith Shop. Muscoot Farm is a fun and educational place where families can visit farm animals, including horses, cows, goats, chickens, and pigs, while learning about the history of the farm.

Women's Hiking Group Week of June 15

The Women's Hiking Group will meet this week, Tuesday (6/16) and Thursday (6/18) at 9:30 am and hike Topstone in Redding. Directions: Take Topstone Rd. off Route 7, follow road across RR tracks and continue on. It turns into a dirt road and there will be a parking area on the right side of road.

Discovery Center trip to Storm King Art Center

The Discovery Center's trip to Storm King Art Center on May 30th was terrific. The weather was perfect for walking around the 500 acre sculpture park, and windy enough for the kite flying event on the Mark DiSuvero field. We began with a private guided tour of highlights of the collection, then rode the tram for a great overall view of the entire park. We hopped off to explore Storm King Wavefield, the largest site-specific work created to date by acclaimed artist and environmentalist Maya Lin. We had adults and children on the trip, and a great time was had by all. For parents wondering if this a good spot for a family outing, the answer is yes! The kids loved the monumental works, there is plenty of room to run, and it is a great place to introduce children to sculpture by world-renowned artists.

Women's Hiking Group Week of June 8

The Women's Hiking Group will meet this week, Tuesday (6/9) and Thursday (6/11) at 9:30 am and hike Topstone in Redding. Directions: Take Topstone Rd. off Route 7, follow road across RR tracks and continue on. It turns into a dirt road and there will be a parking area on the right side of road.

Nature Explorers Silly Scavenger Hunt on June 2

Our Nature Explorers have participated in lots of fun events this year. Our June program was a Pre-School Silly Scavenger Hunt. Kids looked for clues hidden along the Rec Center trails. There were clues from nature, and silly things that did not belong on a nature walk. All the kids received a prize and had a great time exploring. In this photo the girls are holding turkey feathers after their hike.

Women's Hiking Group Week of June 1

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will meet Tuesday (6/2) and Thursday (6/4) at 9:30 am and hike Pierrepont State Park off Barlow Mountain Road in Ridgefield.

Women's Hiking Group Week of May 25

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will meet this week on Thursday (5/28) at 9:30 am and hike Wilton Town Forest.
Directions: Go south on Nod Hill Rd past Weir Farm. After Weir Farm Patrick Lane should be the third road on the left. Follow Patrick Lane to Boas Lane (dead end). Parking area is at Boas Lane.

Nature Explorers: Pre-School Program on May 19

We had a great time today at our pre-school Nature Explorers program. It was a beautiful day for a nature walk and to learn about robins. The American Robin is Connecticut's state bird and is commonly found in our own backyards. The kids collected twigs and grass on our walk to build their own robin's nest. They even made blue eggs for their nests. We finished the program by eating what a robin eats, worms (gummy worms of course!). For more images from this program click here.

Women's Hiking Group Week of May 18

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will meet this week Tuesday, 5/19 and Thursday, 5/21 at 9:30 am and hike at Tarrywile Park in Danbury.
Directions: Meet at the lower parking lot at Tarrywile. Take Rte 7 North to the Danbury Airport exit. At light at end of ramp take right on Wooster Heights. Continue then turn right on Southern Blvd. as it makes sharp right. Look for main entrance on the right.
For more info about Tarrywile Park click here. For information about the Women's Hiking Group please contact The Discovery Center.

Women's Hiking Group Week of May 11

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will meet Tuesday (5/12) and Thursday (5/14) at 9:30 am and hike at Lake Windwing. Parking is at the ball fields off South Shore Drive in Ridgefield. South Shore Drive is across from Ridgebury Elementary School.

Women's Hiking Group Week of May 4

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will meet at 9:30 am Tuesday (5/5) and Thursday (5/7) and hike Gregg's Preserve in Wilton.
Directions: Take Route 7 heading South toward Norwalk and go 2.6 miles north of Wilton Center. Turn left onto Honey Hill Rd. then turn right on Mayapple Rd. If you see the Asian art & antique store (Vallin Gallery) on Rte 7 you have gone one road too far. Parking and the preserve will be at the end of the road.

Women's Hiking Group Week of April 27

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will meet Tuesday (4/28) and Thursday (4/30) at 9:30 am and hike Pine Mountain in Ridgefield. Meeting place: Take Pine Mountain Road, near the end of the road there is a parking area on the right.

Women's Hiking Group Week of April 20

The Women's Hiking Group will meet this week Tuesday (4/21) and Thursday (4/23) and hike Bennett's Pond. Parking area is off Bennett's Farm Road off Route 7.

Great day for a Bluebird Program on April 18th

We had a beautiful day for our Bluebird Program Saturday. Naturalist and Discovery Center Co-President Lars Cherichetti gave an introduction on bluebirds, then we headed out on the Rec Center trails to install a bluebird box. These boxes have played an important role in bluebird conservation, and we hope to help attract future bluebirds to the area with this new box. Adults and children helped install the box, then we used our new binoculars (bought with a grant from the Lions Club of Ridgefield) to look for bluebirds in the area. While we did not find bluebirds Saturday, we did see a beautiful red-winged blackbird that sat perched in a tree near the lake long enough for everyone to take a turn viewing him through our spotting scope. There were also seventeen turtles all lined up sunning themselves on a tree branch in the lake!

Spring Break Kids Hike on April 14

The weather held out, and 15 of us headed out for a walk through Peterson Gorge to Snake Lake to look, or listen, for spring peepers. We learned about frogs and how Snake Lake is the perfect place for the females to lay their eggs. The kids seemed surprised to hear that spring peepers lay about 800 eggs! We also read the old favorite "The Caterpillar and the Polliwog," a book about the change from a caterpillar to a butterfly, and from a polliwog to a frog.

Women's Hiking Group Week of April 12

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will not hike this week because the Ridgefield schools are closed for Spring Break.

Women's Hiking Group Week of April 5

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will hike this week, Tuesday (4/7) and Thursday (4/9) at Weir Farm. Please meet at 9:25 am in Ancona's store parking lot on the corner of Routes 7 (Ethan Allen Highway) and 102 (Branchville Road).

Legos Contest was a great success

The turnout was huge, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Check out our pictures.

Let's hear from some folks who were there. What did you like? What do you suggest could be done differently? Any other comments, feedback, or pictures?

Andy

Astronomy at Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra on April 4th

The Discovery Center will have telescopes set up outside Ridgefield High School before and after the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra's performance on Saturday, April 4 at 8:00 pm. As part of the International Year of Astronomy, the Orchestra will be performing Gustav Holsts's The Planets. Hopefully we will have a clear night for viewing the skies.

The Discovery Center’s 12th Annual Lego Contest on Saturday, April 4

The Discovery Center is holding its 12th Annual Lego Contest on Saturday, April 4th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Ridgefield Rec Center. There will be Lego creations of all kinds on display built by local Legomaniacs, and prizes will be awarded. Entertainment will be provided by magician Danny Diamond performing strolling magic, and there will also be face painting, a door prize, and the popular Guess the Legos game. Admission is free for visitors to the contest. For those interested in entering their own Lego creation it is not too late. Find all the details about entering the Lego Contest at http://www.ridgefielddiscovery.org/. The Lego Contest is co-sponsored with the Ridgefield Parks & Rec Dept and underwritten by Union Savings Bank. For more information please contact The Discovery Center.

Sounds of Spring

I heard spring peepers for the first time on Saturday!


Allison

Keeler Tavern Women's History Event

It was most unfortunate that the original speaker for this event took ill at the last moment. But our substitute speaker proved to be a wonderful experience. Christine Soper, Vice-Regent from the Hudson River Patriots Chapter of the DAR spoke about the "Role of Women in the American Revolution". She provided little known facts and stories about some of the unsung heroines of the Revolution.

Her list of women proved that it is just lack of good press that kept them out of the history books. Women proved some very essential information to the Patriot cause. Sally Townsend exposed Benedict Arnold. Lydia Barrington Darragh, Deborah Champion, Anna Strong, Patience Wright to name a few, risked everything to provide intelligent information. Deborah Sampson Gannett and Margaret Corbin battlefield actions resulted in Army pensions. Boycotting British goods created lots of extra work for many a housewife. But some ladies like Ester dee Berdt Reed and Penelope Barker not only boycotted but organized groups of women to put more teeth into it. In all it brought to the mind how in all wars, women may rarely get into the history books but their roles are essential.

After the talk, Keller Tavern lived up to its tavern heritage and provided some lovely refreshments and for those interested, a tour of the historical site.

Mar 28 - Draw On at Park & Rec

"Draw On" at Park and Rec this weekend had some extra added attractions. Those lucky enough, witnessed the beginning of the Red-Shouldered Hawk mating ritual. One hawk was flying in circles around the river, making loud screams. Then it disappeared only to return screaming loudly while carrying a snake in its talons. We were briefly able to check it out through the spotting scope. According to further research, this appears to be courting behavior of the male trying to prove to the female that he is a good provider and that his territory is a great place to "raise the chicks".

As part of the open air drawing, Discovery Center provided some "stationary" wildlife. These included three mounted animals fox, raccoon and otter. Also we were able to catch a frog for our our portable aquarium. Luck was with us. In our river water bucket we could show the participates some aquatic nymphs and three small almost transparent fish fry. The spotting scope provided some of our youngest participates with their first up close view of turtles in the wild. For some, just being able to close one eye to look through the scope was a new experience.

For those concerned - all live animals were returned to the wild.

Women's Hiking Group Week of March 30

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will hike this week Tuesday (3/31) and Thursday (4/2) at 9:30 am at West Mountain Refuge in Ridgefield. Take Barry Ave. which turns into West Mountain Rd. Take a left onto Oscaleta Rd. Parking is on the side of Oscaleta Rd.

Celebrate Women's History Month with Keeler Tavern and The Discovery Center on March 29

Due to an unexpected illness, Nicole Eustace from NYU will be unable to make her scheduled presentation on Sunday. Our replacement speaker will be Christine Soper, Vice-Regent, Hudson River Patriots Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Mrs. Soper's presentation, titled "The Role of Women in the American Revolution: "Little-known Facts and Stories About Celebrated Women and Unsung Heroines of the Revolution," will begin at 2:00 pm in the Garden House at Keeler Tavern Museum, 132 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT. Please stay for refreshments and guided tours of historic Keeler Tavern following the presentation. This event is $10 for members of Keeler Tavern or The Discovery Center and children sixteen and under, $15 for non-members, and is co-sponsored by the Keeler Tavern Museum and The Discovery Center at Ridgefield. For reservations please contact The Discovery Center or Keeler Tavern Museum.

Women's Hiking Group Week of March 23

The Discovery Center Women's Hiking Group will meet this week Tuesday (3/24) and Thursday (3/26) at 9:30 am and hike Topstone Park in Redding. Directions: From Rt. 7 take Topstone Road, and follow the road across the railroad tracks. Continue on till it turns into a dirt road. A short way down there will be a parking lot on the right side.

Celebrate Women's History Month with Keeler Tavern and The Discovery Center on March 29

The Keeler Tavern Museum and The Discovery Center at Ridgefield will be hosting a special event to celebrate Women's History Month on Sunday, March 29 at 2:00 pm. Guest speaker Nicole Eustace, Assistant Professor of History at New York University, will give a presentation about women's roles during the American Revolution, followed by coffee and dessert and guided tours of historic Keeler Tavern.

Ms. Eustace regularly writes and teaches about colonial and revolutionary America. She also periodically co-directs the NYU Program in the History of Women and Gender. She earned a B.A. in history from Yale University in 1994 and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001. Her first book, titled “Passion Is the Gale: Emotion, Power, and the Coming of the American Revolution,” was published in 2008.

This special event takes place on Sunday, March 29 at 2:00 pm at Keeler Tavern Museum, 132 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT. This event is $10 for members of Keeler Tavern or The Discovery Center and children sixteen and under, $15 for non-members, and is co-sponsored by the Keeler Tavern Museum and The Discovery Center at Ridgefield. For reservations please contact The Discovery Center or Keeler Tavern Museum.

Globe at Night 2009 on March 28

The Discovery Center is hosting an astronomy program for Globe Night, one of the special events for the International Year of Astronomy in 2009 ("IYA 2009"). Join thousands of students, families, and citizen-scientists around the world in observing the nighttime sky at 7:30 PM on Saturday, March 28 at Lake Windwing, South Shore Drive, Ridgefield. As part of the program, participants will learn about light pollution and record the darkness of the night sky by observing the sky in the constellation of Orion. The results will be reported through the Globe at Night website www.globe.gov/GaN/. The 2008 Globe at Night campaign received measurements from 62 different countries.

The IYA 2009 in part celebrates the 400th anniversary of the first use of a telescope for astronomical observations by Galileo. The Discovery Center's telescope will be used to view the ringed planet Saturn and the Orion nebulae, as well as other deep sky objects. The line of sight between Earth and Saturn determines how much of Saturn's rings we can see, and soon we will be looking directly at the edge of Saturn's rings, which will make them appear to have disappeared.

Please contact The Discovery Center for reservations. The program is free for Discovery Center members, $5 per person for non-members, and is co-sponsored by the Ridgefield Parks & Recreation Dept. Please check the Discovery Center website for more info at www.ridgefielddiscovery.org.

St. Patrick's Day Family Scavenger Hunt

The Discovery Center hosted a St. Patrick's Day Family Scavenger Hunt in Ballard Park on March 14, and what a great day it was! We had more than 25 families participate, and Ballard Park was filled with kids exploring all areas of the park and garden. The weather was perfect and the children had a great time searching for hidden clues and learning about Irish folklore. They even found some leprechauns and their hidden pots of gold!

Women's Hiking Group Week of March 16

The Women's Hiking Group will hike the Rock Lot and Scott Preserve in Redding this week, Tuesday (3/17) and Thursday (3/19) at 9:30 am. Directions: If you are travelling South on Rte 7, turn left onto Old Redding Road. Right after you go under the RR bear right onto Mountain Rd. Take Mountain Rd to Peaceable St and turn left onto Peaceable. The parking for the open space is on the left.

The Discovery Center Maple Sugaring at Topstone Farm

The Discovery Center took a trip to Topstone Farm in Redding yesterday for a demonstration of maple sugaring. Mr. Bronson showed us how he taps trees, collects sap, and boils it down to delicious real maple syrup. He had lots of helpers with Discovery Center kids who helped drill the hole in the tree, put in the tap, read the thermometers, and of course taste the sap!

The Discovery Center Pre-School Nature Walk & Program on February 24

Our Pre-School Nature Walks encourage children to explore the outdoors and connect with nature. Today's program was a lot of fun. Children, with their parents, went for a walk around the Rec Center trails, and through the "Phragmite Forest." We looked for bird nests, and talked about what types of owls live in this area. After our nature walk the kids met "Screech," The Discovery Center's mounted eastern screech owl and made owl prints. We also looked at an owl pellet (this one had three different rodent skulls!) and colored owl pictures. It was a beautiful clear day, and just warm enough to enjoy the walk. For more info about our nature programs please visit our website.

Women's Hiking Group Week of Feb 24

This week, February 24 and 26, The Discovery Center's Women's Hiking Group will meet at 9:30 am at Tarrywile Park in Danbury. For more info about Tarrywile Park click here. For information about the Women's Hiking Group please contact The Discovery Center.

The Discovery Center & New Pond Farm Astronomy Program on February 28

The Discovery Center Astronomy Program planned for Saturday, February 28 at New Pond Farm looks to be a very exciting evening. Participants will be able to observe the bright stars of Winter. Among them are brilliant Sirius, Procyon, Aldebaran, Betelguese and Capella. Program participants will learn how to find these beautiful stars within their constellations in the heavens.

A special feature of this program will be two crescents in the same sky. Both the moon and the planet Venus will be in a crescent phase. The crescent moon is visible to the unaided eye, but to observe the crescent phase of Venus requires the telescope. Venus has passed greatest elongation away from the Sun and is now looping back in its path between the earth and the Sun. This is the best time to observe crescent Venus.

Another special feature in the sky will be Comet Lulin, a visitor from the outer solar system. Discovered in 2007, Comet Lulin is not expected to return for over a thousand years. Depending on weather conditions and comet conditions, this object should be visible in the telescope eyepiece and with binoculars.

The program will be held rain or shine. In the event of poor weather an indoor program will feature a digital representation of the night sky projected on a large screen. The program will be held at New Pond Farm Observatory, and is co-sponsored with New Pond Farm. To register for this program or for more info please visit our website.

The Discovery Center Family Hike and Campfire

The Discovery Center's Family Hike and Campfire on February 1 was a day of outdoor, old-fashioned family fun. In attendance were adults, grandparents, and children of all ages. After a hike around Lake Windwing in the snow, we met for a warm campfire, hot chocolate, and toasted marshmallows. Before we left many families built snowmen, and a great time was had by all!

The News-Times story about The Discovery Center's Snowshoe Clinic

The News-Times ran a great story and pictorial today about The Discovery Center's Snowshoe Clinic on February 8. It was a beautiful day for snow-shoeing, and you can tell by the photos in the story that everyone who attended had a great time.