Fun Indoor Activities For Kids & Family That You Can Enjoy All Winter Long!

There may be a chill setting in the air, but don't let the winter cold slow you and your family down! If you're looking for fun indoor things to do with your family, then we've got you covered! From great spots to take the kids out and spend the day, to fun activities and recipes that parents and children alike can enjoy in the comfort and warmth of home, there's plenty to do - even on a snow day.





Check out the Guide in Full on LongIsland.com!

When you're stuck inside with a case of the winter blues, what do you do for fun? Let us know, and your idea may be featured in one of our upcoming articles!

Disco Fever this Weekend in Patchogue with Mickey B!

Dutch Christmas at Meadow Croft, 2011

Photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

A DUTCH CHRISTMAS AT MEADOW CROFT

Bayport Heritage Association invites all local-area residents to their

DUTCH CHRISTMAS AT MEADOW CROFT,

which will be held on

Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3rd, and 4th, 2011,

at the Meadow Croft estate located at

299 Middle Road at Brown’s River on the Bayport Sayville border.

Meadow Croft is the 1891 estate of John E. Roosevelt and family. The Roosevelts were, of course, Dutch by ancestry. The house will be decorated in a Victorian/Edwardian motif with beautiful wreaths, poinsettias and greenery magnificently reminiscent of a hundred years ago and tied in with a Dutch flavor.

Musical selections will be played on the original Roosevelt grand piano filling the house with the music of the season.

Upstairs, special exhibits, including electric trains, vintage clothing, woodcarvings, and Christmas specialties, will be on display for public enjoyment.

Hot chocolate and cookies will add to the coziness of the occasion. St. Nicholas, the Dutch version of Santa Claus, will be there to look up individual children’s names in his ledger and he’ll find out who’s been ‘naughty and nice’ in 2011.

This Dutch Christmas at Meadow Croft is open from

noon to 4 PM both days.

Admission is only $5 for adults and $3 for seniors & children age 4-12.

Not suitable for children under 4 years of age.

All the decorations will be raffled off.

Info: 631-363-6487

October 16, 2011 House Tour

The Bayport Heritage Association is having their 25th Autumn House Tour,

Sunday, October 16th.

Tickets are $25 per person and all proceeds go to the Bayport Heritage Association.

A limited number of tickets will be sold!

Ticket are now available at these locations:

• Country Junque on Middle Road
• Bayport Flower House
• Bayport- Blue Point Library

After the tour, refreshments will be served at Meadow Croft on Middle Road in Sayville.

The tour takes place at seven different locations throughout Bayport and Blue Point. Six homes and Meadow Croft are featured, including the estate home designed by George B Post, architect of the NY Stock Exchange.

• Website: http://bayportheritage.blogspot.com
• Phone: 631-419-6044
• Email for questions: mont4@optonline.net

• Price: $25

Bayard Cutting Arboretum

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Dahlia Garden in Oakdale

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Oakdale has a beautiful Dahlia Garden.

The dahlias are in full bloom and spectacular in color and design.

Take a ride over there. For directions, visit their website: http://www.bayardcuttingarboretum.com/

~

From their website:

The Dahlia Garden is located in the easterly end of the park behind the Cow Barn. It was planted and is maintained by the LONG ISLAND DAHLIA SOCIETY. There are currently approximately 500 plants and over 400 varieties. This is one of the largest dahlia gardens on the east coast. The garden peaks in September and October. The LIDS holds flower shows at the Arboretum in the fall of each year. Membership in the society is available. For further information contact the Arboretum at 631-581-1002.

~~~

Problems with the National Flood Insurance Program

The National Flood Insurance Program, run by FEMA, comes up for renewal again in September. There have been several lapses in the program in the past few years because it gets used as a political football. Members of congress who are NOT in flood-prone states hold up their votes to force others to support their particular bills and projects. Congress is trying to start work early on the process, but there are several obstacles.

The biggest obstacle is that the whole FEMA Flood Insurance program, both here in New York and around the country, has been losing money for years, where it is supposed to be self-supporting. Naturally that means higher rates but that is not a very popular idea with members of congress.

Another area they have been looking at is whether catastrophic windstorm (hurricanes) should be added to the flood insurance program. Hurricanes are not so much of an issue in the Midwest where they are experiencing record flooding because of record snows this past winter. But here on Long Island and all along the east coast, hurricanes are a HUGE issue and something that needs to be addressed.

So some politicians want to add wind coverage to the flood insurance policy. But others are against it for several reasons. First, it is available in the private market and our system of government is based on private business wherever possible. But also, if they have been losing money on the flood insurance, chances are they would just lose even more money if you added windstorm coverage.

Today the GAO (General Accounting Office) issued a report that severely criticized the management of the National Flood Insurance Program, and says that if they don't make significant changes, they will never become profitable. So again, the fear is that if they were to add windstorm coverage, the program would lose even more money.

I just hope they figure it out quickly enough that the basic program is renewed in September.

Take a ferry ride this weekend!

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Check the ferry schedules for the new spring/summer runs.

Nothing to do this weekend?

Take the ferry to Fire Island or Connecticut!

Check the schedules here!

They leave from various towns and there are activities everyone!