Woody Allen observed that time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once.
But nature sets aside the rule of time on April 14, when the East Bay regional parks will present a cornucopia of colorful events and activities from which to chose.
For starters, there's the Tartan Day Scottish Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 14, at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, sponsored by the park district and the East Bay Scottish Association.
Festivities will include Scottish dancing, bagpipes, handmade crafts, historic re-enactments, bagpipes, Highland athletic competitions, and did I mention bagpipes? Scottish clans and societies will share their heritage and culture; children will enjoy the Children's Glen. There will be Scottish food and drink for sale.
Ardenwood is at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd. Fee for the event is $10 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for children ages 4-17, and free for ages 3 and under. Parking is free. For information, call 510-544-2797.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
WINNING LOTTERY TICKET IN ARDENWOOD
Five Bay Area lottery tickets pay $227,955 prize
By Chris De Benedetti, Tracy Seipel and Troy Wolverton
San Jose Mercury News
contracostatimes.com
It was close, but no cigar for 29 people -- including five in the Bay Area -- who bought tickets that matched five of six numbers in Friday night's Mega Millions draw. But coming so agonizingly close to being a multimillionaire probably never felt so good:
Each of the 29 will receive $227,955.
"We have been given so many blessings, I don't have enough room to contain it," said Amalia Walia, co-owner of Fast & Easy Mart, a store in Fremont's Ardenwood neighborhood that sold one of the winning five-match tickets. "I believe that the window to heaven has been opened up for this business."
Walia, a 48-year-old mother of three, and her husband, Prit, will get a half-percent cut of the winnings -- about $1,140.
The couple didn't yet know which of their customers had won.
In fact, none of the statewide winners had contacted lottery officials as of late Saturday, but that could change as the weekend goes on, said Russ Lopez, a California Lottery spokesman.
"Winners usually don't come forward right away," Lopez said. "They will wait for weeks sometimes. Sometimes they need to talk to their family or want to get mentally prepared for coming into some money they never had before."
But one woman who bought a five-match winner Friday evening at a 7-Eleven in San Jose didn't wait long to verify her ticket.
She returned about 9:40 a.m. Saturday to the store on Blossom Hill Road to check its accuracy by placing it through a machine, said Balkar Singh, the store manager. The woman, who did not reveal her name, was one of about 1,000 customers who spent $12,000 on lottery tickets at the store on Friday, he said.
"She said, 'I think I'm a winner,' " Singh said, warning her to keep the ticket a secret because he didn't want her to be put in danger.
"She said she realized she should be careful and shouldn't attract attention because someone could take advantage of that," Singh said. "I'm happy for her. Maybe there will be more players here because this is a lucky place."
Liquor, Tobacco and More -- a Sunnyvale store that also sold one of the five-match winners -- was so busy Friday that instead of just one employee working the counter, the shop had three, including owner Hany Selim, 55.
Selim said his store on South Mary Avenue, which also sells high-end wines, liquor and cigars, has never sold a big winning ticket before.
The store doesn't make a lot of money from selling lottery tickets, said Selim, who works as a medical device engineer. But, he said, lottery sales "bring a whole bunch of people to the shop."
Randy Ackerman, 66, was among those buying lottery tickets Saturday. Ackerman, a former carnival worker who lives with his sister in Sunnyvale, said he doesn't believe any store is luckier than the rest.
"If you're there at the right moment, you're going to win," he said. "I do better at cards when I go to Vegas, but I don't go to Vegas all the time."
Three lucky people in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas matched all six numbers Friday night. They will divide the national Mega Millions jackpot estimated at $640 million.
In California, the "runner-up" winners bought tickets that matched the numbers 46, 23, 38, 4 and 2, missing only the Mega Ball number of 23.
The other Bay Area stores that sold winning five-match tickets are Fox Liquor in San Francisco and Al's Food & Liquor in San Rafael.
Five stores in the Central Valley -- three in Sacramento County, and one each in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties -- also sold winning tickets. The other 19 five-match winning tickets were bought in Southern California.
Winners can receive their cash prize by visiting one of the lottery's nine district offices, or by downloading a claim form at www.calottery.com, Lopez said. Winners must fill out the form and send it by regular mail to state lottery officials.
It takes a minimum of three weeks, and sometimes as long as six weeks, for a cash prize to be claimed, Lopez said.
State lottery officials reported sales totaling about $250 million in the days before the winning Mega Millions jackpot.
Californians spent about $78 million on Friday alone.
And lottery fever doesn't seem to be subsiding.
"We sold $10,000 worth of tickets yesterday and tonight the SuperLotto will pay $17 million," Amalia Walia said. "I expect more people to keep coming."
Eliut Hernandez, a 66-year-old retired engraver, didn't win any big prizes, but on Saturday afternoon the longtime Hayward resident was back at Kavanagh Liquors in San Lorenzo -- dubbed California's "luckiest store" because it has produced four jackpot winners.
Hernandez bought tickets there for several of the state lottery's games: SuperLotto Plus, Fantasy 5, Scratchers and the next round of Mega Millions, which begins Tuesday.
The grandfather of 12 said he would pay for his grandchildren's college educations if he wins.
"You don't win if you don't play," he said. "Go for it."
By Chris De Benedetti, Tracy Seipel and Troy Wolverton
San Jose Mercury News
contracostatimes.com
It was close, but no cigar for 29 people -- including five in the Bay Area -- who bought tickets that matched five of six numbers in Friday night's Mega Millions draw. But coming so agonizingly close to being a multimillionaire probably never felt so good:
Each of the 29 will receive $227,955.
"We have been given so many blessings, I don't have enough room to contain it," said Amalia Walia, co-owner of Fast & Easy Mart, a store in Fremont's Ardenwood neighborhood that sold one of the winning five-match tickets. "I believe that the window to heaven has been opened up for this business."
Walia, a 48-year-old mother of three, and her husband, Prit, will get a half-percent cut of the winnings -- about $1,140.
The couple didn't yet know which of their customers had won.
In fact, none of the statewide winners had contacted lottery officials as of late Saturday, but that could change as the weekend goes on, said Russ Lopez, a California Lottery spokesman.
"Winners usually don't come forward right away," Lopez said. "They will wait for weeks sometimes. Sometimes they need to talk to their family or want to get mentally prepared for coming into some money they never had before."
But one woman who bought a five-match winner Friday evening at a 7-Eleven in San Jose didn't wait long to verify her ticket.
She returned about 9:40 a.m. Saturday to the store on Blossom Hill Road to check its accuracy by placing it through a machine, said Balkar Singh, the store manager. The woman, who did not reveal her name, was one of about 1,000 customers who spent $12,000 on lottery tickets at the store on Friday, he said.
"She said, 'I think I'm a winner,' " Singh said, warning her to keep the ticket a secret because he didn't want her to be put in danger.
"She said she realized she should be careful and shouldn't attract attention because someone could take advantage of that," Singh said. "I'm happy for her. Maybe there will be more players here because this is a lucky place."
Liquor, Tobacco and More -- a Sunnyvale store that also sold one of the five-match winners -- was so busy Friday that instead of just one employee working the counter, the shop had three, including owner Hany Selim, 55.
Selim said his store on South Mary Avenue, which also sells high-end wines, liquor and cigars, has never sold a big winning ticket before.
The store doesn't make a lot of money from selling lottery tickets, said Selim, who works as a medical device engineer. But, he said, lottery sales "bring a whole bunch of people to the shop."
Randy Ackerman, 66, was among those buying lottery tickets Saturday. Ackerman, a former carnival worker who lives with his sister in Sunnyvale, said he doesn't believe any store is luckier than the rest.
"If you're there at the right moment, you're going to win," he said. "I do better at cards when I go to Vegas, but I don't go to Vegas all the time."
Three lucky people in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas matched all six numbers Friday night. They will divide the national Mega Millions jackpot estimated at $640 million.
In California, the "runner-up" winners bought tickets that matched the numbers 46, 23, 38, 4 and 2, missing only the Mega Ball number of 23.
The other Bay Area stores that sold winning five-match tickets are Fox Liquor in San Francisco and Al's Food & Liquor in San Rafael.
Five stores in the Central Valley -- three in Sacramento County, and one each in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties -- also sold winning tickets. The other 19 five-match winning tickets were bought in Southern California.
Winners can receive their cash prize by visiting one of the lottery's nine district offices, or by downloading a claim form at www.calottery.com, Lopez said. Winners must fill out the form and send it by regular mail to state lottery officials.
It takes a minimum of three weeks, and sometimes as long as six weeks, for a cash prize to be claimed, Lopez said.
State lottery officials reported sales totaling about $250 million in the days before the winning Mega Millions jackpot.
Californians spent about $78 million on Friday alone.
And lottery fever doesn't seem to be subsiding.
"We sold $10,000 worth of tickets yesterday and tonight the SuperLotto will pay $17 million," Amalia Walia said. "I expect more people to keep coming."
Eliut Hernandez, a 66-year-old retired engraver, didn't win any big prizes, but on Saturday afternoon the longtime Hayward resident was back at Kavanagh Liquors in San Lorenzo -- dubbed California's "luckiest store" because it has produced four jackpot winners.
Hernandez bought tickets there for several of the state lottery's games: SuperLotto Plus, Fantasy 5, Scratchers and the next round of Mega Millions, which begins Tuesday.
The grandfather of 12 said he would pay for his grandchildren's college educations if he wins.
"You don't win if you don't play," he said. "Go for it."
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
OUTING TO ARDENWOOD FARM - 4/22
WHAT- An FCC outing to a local historic farm on their sheep shearing day
WHERE- Ardenwood Farms located at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd. in Fremont
About Ardenwood: Ardenwood is a working farm with staff and volunteers attired in Victorian clothing who guide guests through the Victorian house, demonstrate farm chores, and explain what life was like in the early 1900s. No visit to Ardenwood is complete without taking the train ride and visiting the Blacksmith shop.
On the day of our outing, Ardenwood is hosting their annual sheep shearing day. We will watch the farm's sheep get sheared, then try our hands at wool carding and see the transformation from fiber to yarn at the spinning wheel. Kids will enjoy stories about sheep and will be able to make their own wooly lamb to take home.
WHEN- Sunday, April 22 from 10:00 - ??
We will plan to meet at the park entrance at 10:00, then we will venture inside to explore the activities. Families are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and stay for as long as desired.
HOW MUCH- Because we will be going on a special event day, prices will be $8 for adults, $5 for children 4-17, and free for children under 4. Parking is free.
MORE INFO- http://www.ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood
Contact: Katie, kstokesguinan@yahoo.com; 408-768-6388
WHERE- Ardenwood Farms located at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd. in Fremont
About Ardenwood: Ardenwood is a working farm with staff and volunteers attired in Victorian clothing who guide guests through the Victorian house, demonstrate farm chores, and explain what life was like in the early 1900s. No visit to Ardenwood is complete without taking the train ride and visiting the Blacksmith shop.
On the day of our outing, Ardenwood is hosting their annual sheep shearing day. We will watch the farm's sheep get sheared, then try our hands at wool carding and see the transformation from fiber to yarn at the spinning wheel. Kids will enjoy stories about sheep and will be able to make their own wooly lamb to take home.
WHEN- Sunday, April 22 from 10:00 - ??
We will plan to meet at the park entrance at 10:00, then we will venture inside to explore the activities. Families are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and stay for as long as desired.
HOW MUCH- Because we will be going on a special event day, prices will be $8 for adults, $5 for children 4-17, and free for children under 4. Parking is free.
MORE INFO- http://www.ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood
Contact: Katie, kstokesguinan@yahoo.com; 408-768-6388
Friday, March 23, 2012
'The Descendants' Hits Close To Home
By Barbara Wood
Almanac Staff Write
When Wilcox Patterson of Portola Valley first read "The Descendants," the book on which the Academy Award-winning movie was based, it was a deja vu experience -- the history of main character Matt King seemed an awful lot like the history of Mr. Patterson's own Hawaiian ancestors.
Watching the movie provided even more deja vu for Mr. Patterson, known as Wil, and his wife Sandra. The beach house in the movie looks just like one owned by a cousin on the north shore of Kauai, and other scenes were suggestive of Mr. Patterson's family background as well.
"I thought, wait a minute -- this is getting awfully familiar," Mr. Patterson says.
Some of the characters' names even matched those of his family. "We actually have a cousin Hugh in the family, but the character played in the movie is the antithesis of our cousin Hugh," Mr. Wilcox says.
It turns out there is a very good reason for the similarities: Author Kaui Hart Hemmings is a distant cousin of Mr. Patterson's, and although she has denied in interviews that her book follows any specific family, it borrows a lot of the history of her, and Mr. Patterson's, own family.
Mr. Patterson and Ms. Hart Hemmings are descendants of Abner Wilcox and Lucy Eliza Hart Wilcox, missionary teachers who settled on the island of Kauai in 1846. One of their eight sons, George Norton Wilcox, became one of the wealthiest people in Hawaii and an influential politician and philanthropist before he died at the age of 93 in 1933.
George Wilcox's brother, Charles Hart Wilcox, was Mr. Patterson's maternal great-grandfather and Kaui Hart Hemmings' maternal great-great-grandfather.
George Wilcox, who never married or had children of his own, left his fortune in trust to his great-nieces and nephews, including Wilcox Patterson's mother. A board of directors including many family members managed the business, called Grove Farm, until 2000, when it was sold to AOL founder Steve Case, a native of Hawaii with family ties to Grove Farm.
Like the sale of the family land in "The Descendants," the sale was not without controversy. An unsuccessful lawsuit filed by some family members to try to reverse the sale was dismissed by a federal judge in 2008.
While Wil Patterson has strong family ties to Hawaii, he did not visit the islands until he was an adult. His great-grandfather left Hawaii for California in 1857, and Wil Patterson was born and raised in California. He and Sandy have lived in Portola Valley since 1988.
He knows his family in Hawaii well, though. In 1980 Mr. Patterson, who has a background in the banking industry, was asked to join the board of directors of Grove Farm. He served until 2000, attending quarterly meetings in Hawaii, but was no longer on the board when Grove Farm was sold.
There are some significant differences between Mr. Patterson's family and that of "The Descendants" family. The fictional Hawaiian family got much of the land it owned when an ancestor married a Hawaiian princess with major landholdings on Kauai. In the real world, according to the book "Grove Farm Plantation," 10,500 acres of George Wilcox's property was purchased from a Hawaiian princess, Ruth Keelikolani, who wanted the money to build herself a mansion in Honolulu.
While the family no longer owns the Grove Farm Company, the Waioli Corporation, a nonprofit formed in 1975 by Mabel Wilcox, niece of George Wilcox and daughter of Sam Wilcox, retains ownership of the heart of the Grove Farm sugar plantation. The 100-acre historic site includes the Wilcox home and some of the locomotives that were used to transport sugar cane. Located in Lihue, on the east shore of Kauai, it can be visited by appointment.
The Waioli Corporation also owns the Wai'oli Mission House museum, home of Abner and Lucy Wilcox, near Hanalei. Many visitors to the North Shore of Kauai are also familiar with the distinctive green Hui'ia Church in Hanalei, built in 1915 with money donated by Abner and Lucy's sons Sam, George and Albert Wilcox.
The family also donated the land and funds for the Kauai Community College and the Wilcox Community Hospital, both in Lihue.
Both Grove Farm and the Wai'oli Mission House are in the National Register of Historic Places, and Wil Patterson says many of his relatives provide financial and volunteer support for the museums.
"There's a tremendous amount of family philanthropy there," he says.
The family also has ties to the Kilohana Plantation complex in Lihue, featuring the 1936 mansion of Gaylord Parke Wilcox, George Wilcox's nephew, son of his brother Sam. Tourists visit the complex to shop, ride the Kauai Plantation Railway into the rain forest, tour the historic home or eat at Gaylord's Restaurant.
Even without the family ties to author Kaui Hart Hemmings, Wil Patterson may have seen parallels between his life and that of the family in "The Descendants." On his father's side of the family, George Washington Patterson came to California in 1849 for the Gold Rush. He eventually took up farming in Fremont and Livermore, and amassed major landholdings, some of which are still in the family. Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont was GW Patterson's home, donated to the city of Fremont by the family in 1974.
Local residents may know Wil Patterson from his civic activities, including membership in the Menlo Park Rotary Club since 1970, and as a past president of the club's foundation.
In Portola Valley, he has been on the Traffic Committee for 16 years, serving many years as its chairperson, as well as serving on the Emergency Preparedness and Public Works committees.
Barbara Wood is a freelance writer, photographer and gardener who lives and works in an 1889 farmhouse in Woodside.
Almanac Staff Write
When Wilcox Patterson of Portola Valley first read "The Descendants," the book on which the Academy Award-winning movie was based, it was a deja vu experience -- the history of main character Matt King seemed an awful lot like the history of Mr. Patterson's own Hawaiian ancestors.
Watching the movie provided even more deja vu for Mr. Patterson, known as Wil, and his wife Sandra. The beach house in the movie looks just like one owned by a cousin on the north shore of Kauai, and other scenes were suggestive of Mr. Patterson's family background as well.
"I thought, wait a minute -- this is getting awfully familiar," Mr. Patterson says.
Some of the characters' names even matched those of his family. "We actually have a cousin Hugh in the family, but the character played in the movie is the antithesis of our cousin Hugh," Mr. Wilcox says.
It turns out there is a very good reason for the similarities: Author Kaui Hart Hemmings is a distant cousin of Mr. Patterson's, and although she has denied in interviews that her book follows any specific family, it borrows a lot of the history of her, and Mr. Patterson's, own family.
Mr. Patterson and Ms. Hart Hemmings are descendants of Abner Wilcox and Lucy Eliza Hart Wilcox, missionary teachers who settled on the island of Kauai in 1846. One of their eight sons, George Norton Wilcox, became one of the wealthiest people in Hawaii and an influential politician and philanthropist before he died at the age of 93 in 1933.
George Wilcox's brother, Charles Hart Wilcox, was Mr. Patterson's maternal great-grandfather and Kaui Hart Hemmings' maternal great-great-grandfather.
George Wilcox, who never married or had children of his own, left his fortune in trust to his great-nieces and nephews, including Wilcox Patterson's mother. A board of directors including many family members managed the business, called Grove Farm, until 2000, when it was sold to AOL founder Steve Case, a native of Hawaii with family ties to Grove Farm.
Like the sale of the family land in "The Descendants," the sale was not without controversy. An unsuccessful lawsuit filed by some family members to try to reverse the sale was dismissed by a federal judge in 2008.
While Wil Patterson has strong family ties to Hawaii, he did not visit the islands until he was an adult. His great-grandfather left Hawaii for California in 1857, and Wil Patterson was born and raised in California. He and Sandy have lived in Portola Valley since 1988.
He knows his family in Hawaii well, though. In 1980 Mr. Patterson, who has a background in the banking industry, was asked to join the board of directors of Grove Farm. He served until 2000, attending quarterly meetings in Hawaii, but was no longer on the board when Grove Farm was sold.
There are some significant differences between Mr. Patterson's family and that of "The Descendants" family. The fictional Hawaiian family got much of the land it owned when an ancestor married a Hawaiian princess with major landholdings on Kauai. In the real world, according to the book "Grove Farm Plantation," 10,500 acres of George Wilcox's property was purchased from a Hawaiian princess, Ruth Keelikolani, who wanted the money to build herself a mansion in Honolulu.
While the family no longer owns the Grove Farm Company, the Waioli Corporation, a nonprofit formed in 1975 by Mabel Wilcox, niece of George Wilcox and daughter of Sam Wilcox, retains ownership of the heart of the Grove Farm sugar plantation. The 100-acre historic site includes the Wilcox home and some of the locomotives that were used to transport sugar cane. Located in Lihue, on the east shore of Kauai, it can be visited by appointment.
The Waioli Corporation also owns the Wai'oli Mission House museum, home of Abner and Lucy Wilcox, near Hanalei. Many visitors to the North Shore of Kauai are also familiar with the distinctive green Hui'ia Church in Hanalei, built in 1915 with money donated by Abner and Lucy's sons Sam, George and Albert Wilcox.
The family also donated the land and funds for the Kauai Community College and the Wilcox Community Hospital, both in Lihue.
Both Grove Farm and the Wai'oli Mission House are in the National Register of Historic Places, and Wil Patterson says many of his relatives provide financial and volunteer support for the museums.
"There's a tremendous amount of family philanthropy there," he says.
The family also has ties to the Kilohana Plantation complex in Lihue, featuring the 1936 mansion of Gaylord Parke Wilcox, George Wilcox's nephew, son of his brother Sam. Tourists visit the complex to shop, ride the Kauai Plantation Railway into the rain forest, tour the historic home or eat at Gaylord's Restaurant.
Even without the family ties to author Kaui Hart Hemmings, Wil Patterson may have seen parallels between his life and that of the family in "The Descendants." On his father's side of the family, George Washington Patterson came to California in 1849 for the Gold Rush. He eventually took up farming in Fremont and Livermore, and amassed major landholdings, some of which are still in the family. Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont was GW Patterson's home, donated to the city of Fremont by the family in 1974.
Local residents may know Wil Patterson from his civic activities, including membership in the Menlo Park Rotary Club since 1970, and as a past president of the club's foundation.
In Portola Valley, he has been on the Traffic Committee for 16 years, serving many years as its chairperson, as well as serving on the Emergency Preparedness and Public Works committees.
Barbara Wood is a freelance writer, photographer and gardener who lives and works in an 1889 farmhouse in Woodside.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tartan Day Scottish Fair at Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont - 4/2
Celebrate Tartan Day, held at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, Saturday, April 2, 2011, 10 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Join in the pageantry as Scottish folk from all over the area gather their clans and celebrate their heritage. Enjoy bagpipe bands – including a bagpipe competition, highland dancing, traditional Scottish food, and historic re-enactments. There will also be Clan Society exhibits and a special Children’s Glen where they can partake in Highland games, a traditional haggis toss, arts & crafts, storytelling … and perhaps find fairies! New this year, enjoy refreshments at the ale garden.
Entertainment by: Pladdohg, Neil O'Neill, Eachdraidh, Macintosh Pipe Band, Highland Dancers, The Red Thistle Dancers, and Pat Ryan's Celtic Junket. Opening Ceremonies featuring the Fremont Police Honor Guard.
Presented by the East Bay Scottish Association and East Bay Regional Park District Interpretive Staff. Special Event Fee: $8 adults/ $6 seniors/ $5 children (4-17), 3 years and under free. Free parking. Wheelchair accessible. Event ends 5:00 p.m.; no admissions after 4:30 p.m.
For more information call (510) 544-2797 or visit www.ebparks.org.
Ardenwood Historic Farm is located at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd.
Fremont, California 94555.
Entertainment by: Pladdohg, Neil O'Neill, Eachdraidh, Macintosh Pipe Band, Highland Dancers, The Red Thistle Dancers, and Pat Ryan's Celtic Junket. Opening Ceremonies featuring the Fremont Police Honor Guard.
Presented by the East Bay Scottish Association and East Bay Regional Park District Interpretive Staff. Special Event Fee: $8 adults/ $6 seniors/ $5 children (4-17), 3 years and under free. Free parking. Wheelchair accessible. Event ends 5:00 p.m.; no admissions after 4:30 p.m.
For more information call (510) 544-2797 or visit www.ebparks.org.
Ardenwood Historic Farm is located at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd.
Fremont, California 94555.
Friday, March 2, 2012
CHALLENGER SCHOOL AT ARDENWOOD WINS SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
The Challenger School at Ardenwood, an independent private school, has won the Bay Area Regional Science Olympiad for the second straight year.
The Challenger Ardenwood Scientists beat 17 other teams Feb. 18 in a test of science and engineering skills at Foothill High School in Pleasanton.
The team of 15 seventh- and eighth-graders participated in 23 different scientific events, which included designing and constructing a Bottle Rocket and Mouse Trap Vehicle.
The regional contest is for public, private and home-schooled students in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
Next up for the Challenger team is the NorCal Science Olympiad on April 14 in Visalia.
The Challenger Ardenwood Scientists beat 17 other teams Feb. 18 in a test of science and engineering skills at Foothill High School in Pleasanton.
The team of 15 seventh- and eighth-graders participated in 23 different scientific events, which included designing and constructing a Bottle Rocket and Mouse Trap Vehicle.
The regional contest is for public, private and home-schooled students in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
Next up for the Challenger team is the NorCal Science Olympiad on April 14 in Visalia.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
ARDENWOOD FARM - FEBRUARY 2012 SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4
STORIES BY THE STOVE
11am-noon Interpretive Staff Cozy up to the old wood-burning stove while we read some favorite farm stories and even meet a character or two! Meet at the Granary.
WONDERFUL WOOL
1:30-3pm Christina Garcia We’ll start with a yarn about wool before visiting our fleeciest friends. Along the way we’ll learn about these wooly wonders and how their special fur can help keep us warm. Meet at the Granary.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description above. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5
CALIFORNIA WESTERN MONARCH DAY
11am-2pm Jenna Scimeca Celebrate the monarchs by taking a journey to discover their mysterious migration.We’ll make a butterfly craft before we honor our colorful friends with a trip to the butterfly grove.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description to left. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
MEET THE BUNNIES
11:00am-noon Christina Garcia Come meet the farm rabbits.Learn why they have big ears, their favorite food and how they communicate. See if you can find the softest part of a bunny. Meet in the Farmyard.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. LINCOLN!
Noon-1pm
Sara Witt Come out to help us celebrate Honest Abe’s 203rd birthday! Learn about Mr. Lincoln. Make your own stove pipe hat and enjoy our 16th president’s favorite dessert, apple pie.
SPEED HISTORY HIKE
1-2:30pm Christina Garcia Time travel to the days when Ardenwood was a thrivingVictorian farm.Find out what life was like on this land while you stretch your legs on an ambitious 1.5 mile hike.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description to left. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
FAREWELL TO THE MONARCHS
10:30am-12:30pm Jenna Scimeca Come say farewell to our monarch butterflies and learn about their very special journey back home! Make yourself a yummy butterfly treat before we bid our friends a fond farewell!
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
BARNYARD BUDDIES
1-2pm Jenna Scimeca Here’s your chance to get close to all your favorite barnyard pals. Feed the goats a snack, pet a bunny, and tickle a chicken (if you dare).
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
10:30-11:30am Christina Garcia Beyond the fields, fences, and corrals live the wilder residents of the farm. Come on an exploratory walk as we search for untamed creatures that also call the park home.
FIXIN’ FEED
12:30-1:30pm Christina Garcia Learn all about the many types of corn as you work with old equipment in the barn Even the little ones can lend a hand cracking corn for the animals. Meet at the Granary.
WONDERFUL WOOL
1:30-3pm Christina Garcia See description on page 2.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19
MEET THE BUNNIES
11:00am-noon Jenna Scimeca See description on page 2.
THERE’S GOLD INTHEM THAR HILLS!
1-2pm Jenna Scimeca The gold rush of 1849 brought thousands of people to California. Miners, including Ardenwood’s George Patterson, came flooding in expecting to make easy money but discovered that it’s hard work! Come learn how to pan for gold and shout “Eureka!” when you strike it rich. FEE: $2
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
FARM CHORES FOR KIDS
11am-noon Christina Garcia There’s lots of work to do on the farm. Help grind corn, gather eggs, and feed the farm critters as we do our daily farm chores. Meet at the Granary.
GORGEOUS GOATS
1-2pm Interpretive Staff Let your little ones lend a hand giving our goats some much needed exercise and grooming attention. See if your kids like working with our kids.
WINTER FUN & GAMES
2-3pm Interpretive Staff Ready for some old-fashioned fun? Gather around
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
the wood-burning stove and join a game of pick¬up-sticks, tops, or jacks as you delve into our box of games from days-gone-by.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
SKULLS &TRACKS & SCAT, OH MY!
10:30am-noon Jenna Scimeca Ever wonder what a coyote skull looks like or maybe what its scat looks like? But what is scat, you ask? Come find out the answer and discover much more!
MEET THE CHICKENS
1-2pm Jenna Scimeca Check out our coop full of chickens! Discover why they like to roam around the farmyard and scratch and peck at the ground while we feed them a little snack.
WINTER FUN & GAMES
2-3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
STORIES BY THE STOVE
11am-noon Interpretive Staff Cozy up to the old wood-burning stove while we read some favorite farm stories and even meet a character or two! Meet at the Granary.
WONDERFUL WOOL
1:30-3pm Christina Garcia We’ll start with a yarn about wool before visiting our fleeciest friends. Along the way we’ll learn about these wooly wonders and how their special fur can help keep us warm. Meet at the Granary.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description above. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5
CALIFORNIA WESTERN MONARCH DAY
11am-2pm Jenna Scimeca Celebrate the monarchs by taking a journey to discover their mysterious migration.We’ll make a butterfly craft before we honor our colorful friends with a trip to the butterfly grove.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description to left. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
MEET THE BUNNIES
11:00am-noon Christina Garcia Come meet the farm rabbits.Learn why they have big ears, their favorite food and how they communicate. See if you can find the softest part of a bunny. Meet in the Farmyard.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. LINCOLN!
Noon-1pm
Sara Witt Come out to help us celebrate Honest Abe’s 203rd birthday! Learn about Mr. Lincoln. Make your own stove pipe hat and enjoy our 16th president’s favorite dessert, apple pie.
SPEED HISTORY HIKE
1-2:30pm Christina Garcia Time travel to the days when Ardenwood was a thrivingVictorian farm.Find out what life was like on this land while you stretch your legs on an ambitious 1.5 mile hike.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description to left. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
FAREWELL TO THE MONARCHS
10:30am-12:30pm Jenna Scimeca Come say farewell to our monarch butterflies and learn about their very special journey back home! Make yourself a yummy butterfly treat before we bid our friends a fond farewell!
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
BARNYARD BUDDIES
1-2pm Jenna Scimeca Here’s your chance to get close to all your favorite barnyard pals. Feed the goats a snack, pet a bunny, and tickle a chicken (if you dare).
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
10:30-11:30am Christina Garcia Beyond the fields, fences, and corrals live the wilder residents of the farm. Come on an exploratory walk as we search for untamed creatures that also call the park home.
FIXIN’ FEED
12:30-1:30pm Christina Garcia Learn all about the many types of corn as you work with old equipment in the barn Even the little ones can lend a hand cracking corn for the animals. Meet at the Granary.
WONDERFUL WOOL
1:30-3pm Christina Garcia See description on page 2.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19
MEET THE BUNNIES
11:00am-noon Jenna Scimeca See description on page 2.
THERE’S GOLD INTHEM THAR HILLS!
1-2pm Jenna Scimeca The gold rush of 1849 brought thousands of people to California. Miners, including Ardenwood’s George Patterson, came flooding in expecting to make easy money but discovered that it’s hard work! Come learn how to pan for gold and shout “Eureka!” when you strike it rich. FEE: $2
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
FARM CHORES FOR KIDS
11am-noon Christina Garcia There’s lots of work to do on the farm. Help grind corn, gather eggs, and feed the farm critters as we do our daily farm chores. Meet at the Granary.
GORGEOUS GOATS
1-2pm Interpretive Staff Let your little ones lend a hand giving our goats some much needed exercise and grooming attention. See if your kids like working with our kids.
WINTER FUN & GAMES
2-3pm Interpretive Staff Ready for some old-fashioned fun? Gather around
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
the wood-burning stove and join a game of pick¬up-sticks, tops, or jacks as you delve into our box of games from days-gone-by.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
SKULLS &TRACKS & SCAT, OH MY!
10:30am-noon Jenna Scimeca Ever wonder what a coyote skull looks like or maybe what its scat looks like? But what is scat, you ask? Come find out the answer and discover much more!
MEET THE CHICKENS
1-2pm Jenna Scimeca Check out our coop full of chickens! Discover why they like to roam around the farmyard and scratch and peck at the ground while we feed them a little snack.
WINTER FUN & GAMES
2-3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2.
ANIMAL FEEDING
3pm Interpretive Staff See description on page 2. Meet at the Chicken Coop.
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