Events Near You

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Grand River Canoe & Kayak Race

Old Harpersfield Rd Geneva, OH
Apr. 27, 2019

An annual springtime tradition; experience an eight-mile canoe and kayak race from the Harpersfield Covered Bridge (Ashtabula County) to Hidden Valley Park south entrance (Madison) on the wild and scenic Grand River.

This race features a “maddest hat” contest. Awards to top three finishers in each race category (determined by skill level and boat type).

Register with Lake Metroparks
For more information, contact Brian Davidson at 440-256-2118 x4110 or bdavidson@lakemetroparks.com

Run for the Swamp

391 West Washington Street Painesville, OH

Apr. 27, 2019

Support The Nature Conservancy Saturday, April 27 at the second annual “Run for the Swamp” 5K. This road race will take runners through Painesville, along the Lake Metroparks’ Greenway Corridor and through Lake Erie College’s beautiful campus.

Registration for the 5K is $20 through April 12th and includes a race t-shirt. Registrations made April 13th through race day will be $25.

Register online at https://my4.raceresult.com/113295/

For more information, please contact Leah Jackson, college events director, at 440-375-7223 or ljackson@lec.edu.

ADULT EASTER EGG HUNT at HIGH TIDE 8 PM

Last Weekend Was For The Kids And Family… Tonight It’s All About You.  Hunt For Easter Eggs Filled With Adult Novelties.

FB: HighTide Tavern & Betty’s HighTide Fun

(440) 466-7990

5504 Lake Rd E, Geneva-On-The-Lake

FMI: BettysBar@HighTideTavern.com

Event Start: Saturday, April 27, 2019, 08:00 PM

Contact:

Betty Sickinger
(440) 466-7990
BettysBar@HighTideTavern.com

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Clean and trim Brussels sprouts and cutting any very large heads in half through the core. (It’s fine if some of the outer leaves fall off – just bake those along with the rest of the sprouts. They get extra crispy and are delicious!)
    3. Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to evenly coat.
    4. Pour the Brussels sprouts onto a large sheet pan (you want them to be in a single layer). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then evenly sprinkle the bacon pieces over the Brussels sprouts.
    5. Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time, until golden and lightly caramelized.

Events Near You

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Spring Bird Feeder

1259 Route 307 Jefferson, OH
Apr. 10, 2019

Join local, Mark Meyer, as he displays and explains the best feeds and tips to attract migrating birds to your backyard feeder.

Free & open to all ages; minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Bring a chair and your questions.

You may want to explore the park afterward; wear comfortable hiking shoes.

Lunch & Learn

56 S. Broadway Geneva, OH

Apr. 16, 2019

“Improve your health and vitality” FREE with a reservation.

Call 440-466-4368 to reserve a seat.

Bissell Nature Center Open to the Public

3973 Callender Rd. Rock Creek, OH
Apr. 6 – Oct. 27, 2019

At the Dr. James K. Bissell Nature Center, dynamic exhibits and programming bring the natural history of Morgan Swamp Preserve to life. The Nature Center offers many programs including workshops, guided hikes, natural history presentations, and more. Special programs are available to schools and groups.

The Dr. James K. Bissell Nature Center at Morgan Swamp Preserve is open Saturdays and Sundays 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm April through October.

Morgan Swamp Preserve is open year-round, dawn to dusk.

Egg-in-a-Hole

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 slice of your favorite kind of bread
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. With a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, press a hole in the center of the slice of bread.
  2. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and melt in the butter. When the butter is all spread out, place the slice of bread in the skillet and crack the egg straight into the center of the hole.
  3. Cook until the egg sets a bit on the bottom, 30 to 45 seconds. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper. After about a minute, flip it over with a spatula and salt and pepper the other side.
  4. Move the toast around in the skillet, soaking up all of the glorious butter. Let it cook until the yolk feels soft. Here’s the key: golden brown toast, white (not browned/burned) whites, soft unbroken yolk. Perfect.

Spring Fever

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Here are a few ideas to get out of the house this spring

Woodcock Watch at Hatches Corner

5467 OH-7 Conneaut, OH
Mar. 30, 2019

Join your guide, Marc Hanneman, as it is time to search for the Timberdoodle performing its courtship display! The American Woodcock normally starts its elaborate “sky dance” on a calm  “warm” evening in late February. This mating ritual usually starts just after sunset and can last well into the night.

Plan to meet in the parking lot off of Rt 7.

Ages 8 and over. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.

No Fee.

 

Build Trails with The Nature Conservancy

3973 Callender Rd. Rock Creek, OH
Mar. 30, 2019

Join us for a day of learning about conservation in Northeast Ohio and how you can get involved! Participate in a trail maintenance and bridge building activity with The Nature Conservancy.

Buffalo Chicken Alfredo

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INGREDIENTS

12 oz.  Noodles
1/2 c. buffalo sauce, divided
1 packet ranch seasoning mix, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. cream cheese softened
1/2 c. mozzarella, grated
1 1/4 c. whole milk
2 tbsp. chives, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large baking dish, add chicken breasts, ¼ cup buffalo sauce, salt, pepper, and ½ packet ranch seasoning. Toss until chicken is thoroughly coated. Marinate 30 minutes.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil, then add chicken. Cook 8 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and let cool, then chop into bite-size pieces.
  4. To the same skillet, add butter and cook garlic. Add remaining ¼ cup buffalo sauce and cream cheese and whisk until combined. Slowly whisk in milk and remaining ranch seasoning; continue whisking until combined. Add noodles, mozzarella and chicken to skillet.
  5. Serve topped with chives.

Recipe adapted from delish.com

Ice Wine Events Near You

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Spring Hill Winery
Where: 6062 S. Ridge Rd W.Geneva,, OH
When: Mar. 8 – 10, 2019

Go out to the Winery at Spring Hill and help us celebrate our 10 year Anniversary with our FIRST EVER “Fire & Ice Weekend!

All weekend long they will be offering the following:

$10 food specials

Friday the debut of our newest hard cider “Fired Up”

Ice Wine and Dessert Pairing

Wine Tasting Specials

Ice Sculpting Demos all day Saturday

All Weekend Entertainment

Sunday Personal Celebrity Chef Lisa Delgado Dinner Event

 

15th Annual Ice Wine Festival

Where: 5750 Madison Rd. Madison, OH
When: Mar. 2 – 16, 2019

Join Debonné Vineyards, Ferrante Winery, Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant, Laurello Vineyards & St. Joseph Vineyards for Ohio’s 15th Annual Ice Wine Festival, a progressive tasting of the ice wine produced in the Grand River Valley. 
Each winery will provide a sample of their ice wines along with a complimentary appetizer. Enjoy a featured event at each establishment.
Our neighbour winery up the road, South River Vineyard will also be serving their ice wine and be sure to stop at Red Eagle Distillery for an Ice Wine Cocktail with complimentary logo glass.

Cost is $6 at each winery, which includes wine samples, an ice wine glass at each winery, appetizer and special events. (Bring in a canned food item to help support our local food banks and receive $1 off per person.)

 

 

Ice Wine Festival 2019

Where: 5585 State Route 307 Geneva, OH
When: Mar. 2 – 16, 2019
Join the Wineries of the Grand River Valley for the 15th Annual Ice Wine Festival  Saturday, March 2nd, 9th & 16th  12-5pm
Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
Debonne Vineyards
Grand River Cellars
Laurello Vineyards
St. Joseph Vineyards

Sample the finest Ice Wines in the Valley & Enjoy Appetizers are each winery.  $6 per person at each participating winery Bring a canned food item and receive $1 off your ticket. All donations are sent to the local food bank.

How to Pick Your Fruit

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  • Apricots: Choose fruits that are fragrant and slightly soft but not mushy.

• Bananas: Choose bright yellow bananas to eat right away or green bananas to ripen at home. Avoid fruits that are bruised or split.

• Blueberries: Choose berries that are firm, dry, and blue (not red or green). A white sheen is natural. Also, check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

• Cantaloupes: Choose fruits that are fragrant and cream or golden in colour (not green). Avoid fruits with soft spots, although the end opposite the stem should be slightly soft.

• Cherries: Choose berries that are plump, shiny, and darker in colour. Cherries with intact stems have a longer shelf life.

• Figs: Choose soft, plump fruits with intact, bent stems. Minor bruises or tears are usually harmless, but avoid buying dry, cracked figs.

• Grapefruits: Choose fruits that have smooth, thin skins and are heaviest for their size. They should feel firm but slightly springy to the touch. Don’t worry about colour.

• Grapes: Choose fruits that are firm, plump, and heavy for their size. They should be firmly attached to the stems without wrinkled or brown spots.

• Kiwi Fruits: Choose fruits that give slightly when pressed. Avoid fruits that are either rock hard or mushy.

• Lemons and Limes: Choose fruits that are fragrant and heaviest for their size. Avoid fruits that are shrivelled.

• Mangoes: Choose fruits that are slightly soft to the touch and fragrant near the stem end.

• Oranges: Choose fruits that heaviest for their size and have firm, smooth skins. Don’t worry about colour. For Mandarin oranges, make sure skins are firm, not shrivelled.

• Peaches: Choose fragrant, deeply coloured (not green) fruits that are firm but slightly soft to the touch.

• Pears: Pears are usually picked before they are fully ripe, but choose fruits that are free of bruises and look for any that are getting soft just below the stem. Ripen them at room temperature; placing them in a paper bag speeds up the process.

• Persimmons: Choose fruits that are deep orange or red in colour. Fuyu types should be firm but not rock-hard. Hachiya types should be soft and squishy or kept at room temperature for a week or two until they soften. Dark spots caused by sunburn are harmless unless the flesh is sunken or broken.

• Pineapples: Choose fruits that smell sweet at the stem end, have fresh looking leaves, and are heavy for their size. Avoid fruits with soft spots or dry, brown leaves.

• Plums: Choose fruits that are deeply coloured, shiny, and firm but not rock hard. A white or grey sheen is natural.

• Pomegranates: Choose fruits that are heavy for their size. Cracks are a good sign that the fruits are bursting with plump seeds; just make sure there isn’t any mold in the cracks.

• Quinces: Choose fruits that are firm and golden in colour.

• Strawberries: Choose berries that are fragrant, uniformly red (not yellow or green), and shiny with fresh green tops. Also, check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

• Watermelons: Choose fruits that are firm and heavy and sound hollow when thumped. A properly ripened watermelon should have a yellow spot on one side where it sat on the ground.

Information from thekitchn.com

 

Birdtacular events near you!

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Great Backyard Audubon Bird Count

3973 Callender Rd. Rock Creek, OH

 

Feb. 17, 2019

 

For twenty years, the National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology have been collecting data through the Great Backyard Bird Count. Last year alone, 160,000 people worldwide monitored bird feeders and reported data to the website. This information is used to determine the health of the various bird species’ populations to determine what needs to be done to better protect them. Obviously, the overwhelming amount of data couldn’t possibly be accumulated by the few poorly funded professionals. That is where citizen science excels at providing them with the data they need to protect the birds.

The Bissell Nature Center is hosting a bird monitoring event on Sunday, February 17, from 12-4 p.m.! Area Naturalist Chuck Fletcher will demonstrate how the monitoring is done, how the tally is made, and how you can register and report your data if you wish to survey your own bird feeder. Every report helps, and you can monitor for as little as 15 minutes or as long as you like! All of this will be done from inside our beautiful Bissell Nature Center – no need to step foot outside! The public is invited, and no RSVP is necessary.

For more details, visit: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/about-great-backyard-bird-count

Picture for show.

Birds of Prey – Live Animals at the Library

142 West Main Street Andover, OH
Feb. 27, 2019

The Andover Public Library Presents “Birds of Prey” with live wildlife from the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center.

Get up close and personal with some of the area’s magnificent birds of prey including a live falcon, hawk, and owl. Learn about these birds’ characteristic features, discover their adaptations and natural history, and explore their critical role in our environment. Find out what you can do to help birds of prey and the world we share.

Tamarak Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center
Presenter: Rick Wyman

Sponsored by the Friends of the Andover Public Library

Bell Pepper Ring Eggs

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bell pepper, cored
  • a little cooking oil or nonstick spray, for preparing the pan
  • 6 eggs
  • salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cut the bell pepper from top to bottom in slices that resemble rings.
  2. Prepare a skillet with a light layer of oil or nonstick cooking spray. Place 6 of the bell pepper rings on the skillet over medium heat. Crack an egg in each ring and allow it to spread out to fill the bell pepper ring. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. If you like your eggs soft, cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to preference.
  4. If you like your eggs hard, break up the yolk with the skillet for even cooking. Cook 6-9 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to preference.
  5. Serve 2 bell pepper egg rings per person and enjoy!