Quick note on WVES science programs

The winter break is coming around the corner. It is a nice time to reflect on the programs we have done with the students of Waterville Valley Elementary School. We have done a number of programs including; the creation of a bird garden, dissecting plants, exploring habitats, looking into various types of energy, checking out the ground water and its flow, creating crayon rocks and measuring weather (just to name a few). We have had some nice programs put together and presented by PSU student Chris Brown (photo on the right). It has been a joy and it is always nice to see the smiling faces of all the students and teachers. Looking forward to our upcoming programs!

Lorenz Tecumseh Weather Station Returns!

Hooray! The Lorenz Tecumseh Weather Station is back up and running and just in time for the snow and ski season! Several people and organizations helped make this happen.

Volunteers Matt Bedard and Ken Vallery gave a lot in terms of time and expertise. Matt drove several hours and used his technical expertise to reset the programming that runs the instrumentation. Ken spent many hours, both off the mountain and on, planning and overseeing the relocation of the weather tower and its equipment. That happened on October 19th and it was a cold day! Ken was joined by Kim Votta, the Rey Center's Research Coordinator, Josh Roberti, our weather station intern, and Jim VanGyzen, the Rey Center's Graduate Research and Education Assistant. We were very happy to jump in a warm truck for the trip back down the mountain at the end of the day.

Thanks also are due to the Waterville Valley Ski Resort and their staff for the transportation of people and equipment up and down the mountain as well as their assistance in helping us choose its new location. Lastly, thank you to Plymouth State University's Meteorology Department and their continued support of our efforts.

The Lorenz Tecumseh Weather Station continuously collects meteorological data and transmits it to the Margret & H.A. Rey Center offices in Waterville Valley. The meteorological data complements existing climate observation sites in the state and provides important climate data to support the Rey Center’s research efforts on climate change. The station honors the memory of Edward Norton Lorenz, (1917 – 2008) a close friend of Margret & H.A. Rey and summer resident of Waterville Valley. Edward Lorenz was also a mathematician and meteorologist best known as a pioneer of Chaos Theory and for coining the phrase “butterfly effect.”

Check out current weather conditions on Mount Tecumseh at any time at www.thereycenter.org.

The Lorenz weather station is managed under a special use permit from the White Mountain National Forest.

Mushrooming is Fun!

Mushroom lovers had fun looking for fungi this past Saturday, October 9th, with Dr. Roz Lowen, a Lincoln, NH resident and mycologist. This Walk-Talk began with an indoor program where we learned about the various types of mushrooms to be found in our northeastern woods and which ones were safe to eat, or not! We even had a tasting! A good amount of time was also spent outdoors exploring the woods around Livermore Road where we found many species of mushrooms - all that was required was a keen interest and a willingness to dig through the leaves. Look for our winter walk-talks this upcoming season.

Fun on Welch Ledges with WVES students

On September 14, Rey Center staff joined the Waterville Valley Elementary School students on their all-school hike on Welch and Dickey Mountains in Thornton, NH. The kids split into two groups, one climbing just to the ledges and the second hiking the entire loop over both Welch and Dickey. Along the way, each group participated in a Welch Ledges Stewardship Program with Rey Center Research Coordinator, Kim Votta. Kim engaged the students in learning about the development of granite domes, such as Welch, and the unique plant communities that develop on their exposed ledges. Students then participated in a plant ID activity and helped restore some of the rock islands that were built to protect these amazing plants.

Lorenz Weather Station On the Move...

Seems like this is a year for relocating things at the Margret & H.A. Rey Center. Like the Curious George Cottage, which made a short trip up the road this summer to its new home as part of the Waterville Valley Elementary School and Recreation Department Campus, the Lorenz Weather Station is being moved. And a very short distance too! The steel pylon the weather station was anchored to these past two years (see photo at left) was recently removed, prompting the Rey Center staff to find an alternative site - about 20 feet north of its former home. It will be anchored to an existing concrete pad atop the ski slopes of Mount Tecumseh. The purchase of a higher tower will allow us to set the weather instrumentation at the same height; the new tower will also allow us to anchor the station properly in its new spot. Look for the station to be back up and running by the end of October. Once it is, you can get up-to-date weather conditions and web-cam images on our website. Thanks to the White Mountain National Forest, the Waterville Valley Resort, Plymouth State University's Meteorology Department, and volunteer Ken Vallery for their assistance with the relocation plan and its implementation.

Landscaping the Curious George Cottage

Remember all those plants we potted up in the spring from the gardens surrounding the Curious George Cottage? Well, they survived the hot, dry summer and they are now back in the ground in front of the Cottage's new location recovering from their ordeal. Many thanks to Birdie Britton for joining the Rey Center staff for a morning of planting. We look forward to seeing these plants take off next spring.
There were many more plants than we remembered potting up, and fortunately, we were able to plant the entire area in front of the Cottage with this collection of salvaged plants. We hope to put in more flower gardens along the side of the Cottage in the spring with the help of local gardeners. Having substantial flower gardens will be a fitting tribute to Margret Rey and her love of gardening. Thank you again to all who helped us save these plants in the spring and to Birdie and David Britton for watering plants over the summer.

Monitoring Phenology on Mount Tecumseh

by Jim VanGyzen, Plymouth State University Graduate Research Assistant

As the summer progresses and eventually welcomes the cool air of fall, here at the Margret and H.A. Rey Center we are continually monitoring our research transect located on Mount Tecumseh. This transect, maintained in partnership with Plymouth State University's Center for the Environment, is an on going research site that will eventually create a new phenology database. Our last field visits were 7/15, 7/16, and 7/23.  With the help of two REU students (Research for Undergraduates program), we assessed tree health of each of our 28 trees. On top of that we recorded species inventory of six herbaceous plots. The monitoring of phenology and phenophases requires time intensive field visits, which will kick into full swing with our observations of fall color change and leaf drop.  Over time, this research will provide data on phenology of our northern mixed hardwood forests, which will in turn help us understand the climatic changes that we are enduring each passing year. This transect is spread over the entire length of the Mt. Tecumseh trail which during a humid day with passing thundershowers can create some difficulty, but the information gained from these experiences shall create new insight to our environment.

Stop and Look Around by Jeremy Phillips

“…stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” Leo Tolstoy.

In the midst of summer there is plenty to do. Work is tiresome as you stare out the window wishing you were outside, visiting neighbors and complementing them on the yard work, attending parties, swimming, driving from place to place. Phew… where did the season go? Even our fun activities can seem like work in times like these. So, remember, “…stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” There are seasons within seasons that can get overlooked with a blink.

Papermill Children's Theatre pleases crowds weekly at Rey Center!

The Papermill Children’s Theatre has been performing their original fairy and folk tales at the Rey Center this summer each Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m. The five professional, adult actors perform a different play each week, including original songs, costumes and sets. The shows are accompanied by a live musician and are designed for ages 3 and up.

This summer’s line-up has included Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Fisherman and His Wife, Pinocchio, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Still to come this summer are The Red Shoes, Aesop’s Fables, and Sleeping Beauty! Don’t miss out on the fun - come join us for a morning of Papermill Children’s Theatre!

Have you checked the weather on Tecumseh lately?

Have you had a chance to check out the weather station on Mount Tecumseh yet?  Current weather conditions are recorded every fifteen minutes and then displayed on the Rey Center website. If you took a peek this past winter, you may have noticed that some of the equipment was temporarily down.  Conditions can be harsh at 3,800 feet!  The weather station sustained damage to both its anemometer, which records wind speed (ironically, the anemometer blew off!), and its solar radiation shield, which protects the temperature and relative humidity probe from direct sunlight.

Watercolor Workshop by Maryellen Sakura

Six seasoned and aspiring artists gathered for three days to practice and learn watercolor techniques from local artist Maryellen Sakura. The course celebrated the outdoors in summer at Waterville Valley and the spontaneity of watercolor painting. Maryellen began with demonstrations and guided exercises in washes, glazing, wet on wet, drybrush, color theory and mixing. Then, the artists applied these skills to recording and interpreting their surroundings. Maryellen included references to historical and contemporary watercolor artists each day. Maryellen Sakura is a painter and printmaker who has taught for over 36 years. You can view her work at maryellensakura.com.

Two Old Friends perform at Rey Center

Thanks to the generous support of the NH Humanities Council, Two Old Friends, Emery Hutchins and Mac McHale, performed an evening of music at the Rey Center to an enthusiastic crowd!

Over the centuries, immigrants from the British Isles have come to the Americas, bringing with them their musical styles, tastes, and instruments. Using the concertina, bodhran, mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar and banjo, Emery and Mac played traditional Irish songs and tunes. They performed American country music the way it was conceived in the early 20th century and demonstrated how these tunes are often derived from the songs of the Irish, but have been influenced by other cultural and ethnic groups (particularly African American) to create an original American sound.

Art Exhibit Opening Reception - In the Mix: Blended Styles of Art

A wonderful crowd gathered to celebrate the opening of the the Rey Center’s current art exhibit, “In the Mix: Blended Styles of Art,” featuring a variety of sizes and styles of paintings by still-life artist, Patricia Giebutowski, abstract artist, Robert Garlitz and landscape artist, Cynthia van Frank.

The exhibit is on display through August 28, 2010. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. All works are for sale, and a portion of the proceeds from each sale benefit the Rey Center.

Youth EcoArt Camp with Cynthia Robinson

For the third summer, local EcoArtist, Cynthia Robinson, led a creative and talented group of children in a week-long workshop exploring nature and art. The group started each morning with a warm-up exercise to get their creativity flowing. One morning the children created group animal drawings, where each child drew an animal body part as instructed, and then rotated one seat to the right to draw another body part on a drawing started by another child. The resulting artwork was titled “Unidentified Flying Animals” and is on display at the Rey Center - you should come check it out!

Birding Quincy Bog by Jeremy Phillips

By Jeremy Phillips, Rey Center Education Associate

Quincy Bog, Rumney, NH

This gorgeous 1-mile loop is full of wildlife. This walk was mostly about birds, but a small jaunt off the main path onto “the point” made the additional quarter mile worthwhile. The whole point was covered in pink lady slippers. This is also where an unidentified bird was heard, our 26th bird - I’ll get back to you if I figure out what it was! There were many highlights along the trail including a pair of northern orioles bringing food back to the nest and a very close look at a yellow-bellied sapsucker poking its head out from behind a tree.  The whole list is as follows:

Curious George Cottage - Volunteer Day in the Gardens

Preparations have begun for the upcoming relocation and renovation of the Curious George Cottage. The first of two volunteer work days was held on Thursday, May 20, 2010. A hearty crew of volunteers spent the morning dismantling and digging up the landscaping so that we can reuse as much as possible for the new landscape after all the renovations are completed. Projects included dismantling the Mary Bierbrier Community Garden Plots (we were able to salvage all the cedar boards for use in the new landscape), digging and potting up and any and all perennials that we could find in the flower beds and garden beds (which turned out to be many more plants than anyone expected), disassembling the rock borders around the garden beds,  moving the garden arbor, and more!

Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped out!

Joanne Kost

Bob Kost

Birdie Britton

David Britton

Nancy Knight

Jilly Crane-Mauzy

Jeanne Crane-Mauzy

Jamie Crane-Mauzy

Grace Mauzy

Kathleen Corcoran

And many more thanks to Nancy, Joanne and Bob who came back on Friday to finish the job!!!

We look forward to getting all those plants back in the ground at the end of the summer.

Spring Birding Report by Jeremy Phillips

By Jeremy Phillips, Rey Center Education Associate

Starting out at the Livermore Road Trailhead and walking the 2.8 miles out to Greeley ponds is a beautiful jaunt. This fairly wide, smooth trail provides plenty of opportunity to gaze in other directions than just forward. If you get a chance to hike this trail, make sure to keep your eyes to the trees. The trip on this day produced twenty species including an interesting observation at Greeley Ponds of a broad-winged hawk chasing a tree swallow. The entire species list is as follows:

Waterville Valley is a tough place to draw a crowd in early May, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to host guitarist Brad Richter here at the Rey Center while he was in the region playing a few other venues. Those that made the journey to come see him were treated to an evening of beautiful, original compositions by Brad Richter. Brad’s between-song commentary added a lot of dimension to each song, as he painted a vivid visual image of the place or experience that inspired each song, giving you an extra layer to listen for while he was playing. The only disappointing thing about the evening was when it came to an end. Brad will be back in the area in January. We hope he will pay another visit to the Rey Center. If he comes back - be sure not to miss it!

What Floats? with the WVES K-2 Students

The K-2 class at Waterville Valley Elementary School has been finding out “What Floats or Not” with some experimental observations indoors, followed by testing our theories about what floats outside in Snow’s Brook. In the style of Winnie-the-Pooh’s Pooh Sticks, we raced sticks, leaves and pinecones trying to pick out the one that would float better and cross the finish line first. We also found some floating water striders skimming across the top of the Corcoran’s Pond. What extraordinary amazement this group of students expresses towards science!

 

Rey Center Attends Aerospace Festival

The Rey Center participated in the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center’s first annual Aerospace Festival by sharing H.A. Rey’s love for the stars with young and old alike. Children, and even a few adults, that visited the Rey Center table were able to create their own constellations by dropping marshmallows on a piece of black paper to randomly create a pattern of stars. The next step was to see what picture or constellation they could make out of their star pattern. The results were creative to say the least! We had a great time at Aerospace Fest and look forward to next year!

 

The Lorenz Tecumseh Weather Station

Hi, my name is Joe Molloy and I am the Rey Center’s Weather Station student intern.  I am a senior meteorology major at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH.  After graduation I hope to attend graduate school and receive a Master’s of Science in Meteorology.  Some of my extracurricular activities include, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, golfing and fishing. 

Our weather station is located at about 3,800 feet above sea level and has an amazing view from the observation platform.  The Rey Center established the Lorenz Tecumseh Weather Station atop Mt. Tecumseh to contribute to our long-term climate and phenology research project also conducted on Mt. Tecumseh.  The weather station contains a thermometer, humidity sensor, barometer, radiometer, anemometer, and precipitation gauge.  Currently the anemometer and radiometer are broken due to high winds.  These two items should be repaired very soon! Check back soon for more reports on the Lorenz Tecumseh Station.

You can check daily weather conditions atop Mt. Tecumseh here: http://thereycenter.org/weather/

Curious Kids: Wild Snowmen

The Rey Center has been helping families enjoy their February Vacation week with a wide variety of programs to get families outside enjoying winter. Today, during Curious Kids, we constructed “Wild Snowmen” designed to provide wildlife with a winter snack. Parents and children had to get creative with only a couple inches of snow covering the ground, so most of the snow creatures created were laying down rather than standing up! The creations were decorated with all sorts of delectable treats for our wild animal friends: apples, oranges, birdseed, raisins, carrots, bananas, and peanuts. Our creations are located next to the patio alongside “The Center at Town Square” (formerly Aglio restaurant) - stop by and take a look at them. We are anxious to see what wild critters take the opportunity to visit our “Wild Snowmen.”

Celebrate an Historic Romance Valentine's Day Dinner

Thank you to all those who attended the Rey Center’s Valentine’s Day Fundraising Dinner celebrating the historic romance of Margret and H.A. Rey:  Hans and Margret knew each other as children in Hamburg, Germany, but didn’t reconnect again until they were both in their twenties, in Rio de Janeiro. There, the two artists worked and lived together with two pet marmosets. After they were married, the Reys moved to Paris where they developed a new manuscript about a curious little monkey. On June 12, 1940 the Jewish couple fled Paris on bikes with only food and their beloved manuscripts on their backs. Two days later, Paris was seized by Nazis. The Reys eventually reached their destination, New York City, where the manuscript about a mischievous little monkey became the well-loved story, Curious George. This August would mark the courageous and creative couple’s 75th wedding anniversary.

Curious George Story Time Draws a Crowd

The Margret and H.A. Rey Center was filled with young Curious George fans on this cold Saturday afternoon. Every Saturday, the Margret and H.A. Rey Center hosts Curious George Story Time at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Today youngsters heard readings of Curious George and the Puppies and Curious George Goes to the Chocolate Factory, as well as a lesser known book by Margret and H.A. Rey titled “Billy’s Picture” in which a bunny named Billy wants to draw a picture of himself, but ends up getting some unexpected help from his animal friends, which results in a very strange picture!

Art Lessons at the Rey Center by Maryellen Sakura

For the silent auction to benefit the Rey Center, held during the Waterville Valley Resort Association’s Holiday Decorating Contest awards ceremony in December, local artist Maryellen Sakura generously donated her time and talents with her donation of two youth art lessons. The lucky winners of this experience was the Sayegh Family. During their lesson held at the Margret and H.A. Rey Center, the children had the opportunity to practice their drawing skills focusing on proportion and depth as well as movement. They also experimented with painting and changing the value of a color by mixing either black or white to that main color.